#ballyhalbert

[greatworldwar2]

• No. 125 Newfoundland Squadron RAF

Motto: Nunquam domandi ("Never to be tamed")

Squadron Codes: FN (Apr 1939 – Sep 1939) VA (Jun 1941 – Nov 1945)

Number 125 (Newfoundland) Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron active during World War II and briefly in the mid-1950s. Throughout its service the squadron primarily operated night fighters. No. 125 Squadron was initially formed at Old Sarum, Wiltshire on 1 February 1918 as a light bomber squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. It was planned for the squadron to become operational and deploy to France in September however it was instead disbanded on 1 August 1918, thus never seeing active service in the First World War.

No. 125 Squadron was reformed on June 16th, 1941 at RAF Colerne equipped with Bolton-Paul Defiant night fighters. The squadron was raised as a result of a war loan raised by the Newfoundland Commission of Government in 1940. After discovering a surplus of revenue, the commission presented the British Government with $500,000 to establish a squadron with the hope that it would be manned by Newfoundlanders. This hope was realised with at least a dozen Newfoundlanders flying with No. 125 Squadron in its early days along with a contingent of English, Scottish, Welsh, Commonwealth and Polish pilots. Volunteers from Newfoundland and Labrador died at a higher rate while serving with the Royal Air Force (RAF) than with any other branch of the British Armed Forces during the war. On 24 September 1941, the squadron moved to RAF Fairwood Common, Wales and became fully operational, with the Defiant proving to be a more than effective night fighter. By February 1942, No. 125 Squadron began to convert over to the twin-engined Bristol Beaufighter, with these becoming operational by April. Defiants and Hawker Hurricanes were also used to supplement the Beaufighters in the squadron's patrols. With an increasing number of Newfoundlanders being found in No. 125 Squadron's ranks, some aircrew began to name their aircraft in recognition of their Newfoundland heritage: St, John's, Corner Brook, Deer Lake and Buchans were some of the names they used. From October to December 1942, the squadron operated a detachment at RAF Sumburgh in the Shetland Islands.

No. 125 Squadron moved north to RAF Valley in November 1943 in order to carry out patrols over the Irish Sea. While based here the squadron operated a detachment from RAF Ballyhalbert in Northern Ireland. Despite being a 'Newfoundland' squadron, by November 1943 only 5 of the 30 aircrew were from Newfoundland as well as 45 of the roughly 200 ground crew came from the Dominion. With a conversion to de Havilland Mosquito night fighters in February 1944, No. 125 Squadron moved south to RAF Hurn, Dorset at the end of March. This was in preparation to cover the Operation Overlord landings in Normandy. In April, No. 125 Squadron had their caribou squadron badge officially approved by King George VI. The squadron also participated in intercepting Operation Steinbock raids from January to May 1944. With a bridgehead secured in France and with the commencement of V-1 flying bomb attacks on London, the squadron moved to RAF Middle Wallop in July 1944 to fly night time interceptions.

On October 18th, 1944, No. 125 Squadron moved to RAF Coltishall, Norfolk. From Coltishall the squadron defended against enemy intruders and Heinkel He 111s carrying flying bombs, as well as undertaking reconnaissance to locate the remainder of German shipping. In April 1945, No. 125 Squadron transferred up to RAF Church Fenton in Yorkshire. Here it saw out the war before disbanding for the second time on 20 November 1945 when its aircraft and personnel were renumbered to No. 264 Squadron. By the end of the war No. 125 Squadron had managed to score 44 victories, 5 probables and 20 damaged. No. 125 Squadron reformed in March 1955 as a night fighter unit once more. While based at Stradishall, the squadron operated alongside fellow night fighter units No. 89 Squadron and No. 152 Squadron, as well as No. 245 Squadron. The Squadron was disbanded for the final time in May 1957.

[ashathestarofcountydown]

Sitting Pretty by connie kells Via Flickr: I've just been looking through some of my older Asha pictures as I wanted to upload one that made me smile and as soon as I seen this I had to laugh. I remember this day at the Ballyhalbert War Memorial. I took some lovely shots of Asha laying her poppy looking very sombre (I've already uploaded two pictures from my earlier pictures). This is what I would call a outtake. I just told her to sit pretty and she just plopped her bum down on the spot and ended up sitting on the wee plinth. I think it funny anyway though definitely couldn't use it for a memorial picture. Asha is like that if you tell her to sit pretty she will plop her bum anywhere even if it was on somebody's head...lol. There is no disrespect meant in this picture taken at the memorial. It is just the way Asha is sitting on the plinth that is so funny and the look on her face...lol. Behind the wall is a old cemetery which I have never seen. I must go one day and have a look around and maybe take a few pictures.

[usafphantom2]

Etienne du Plessis Following

Spitfire Vb 1943.

Spitfires VBs of 315 (polish) Sqn. escorting a General's plane after his visit to Ballyhalbert, Ireland in 1943.

[thepostedia]

Appeal again over Lisa Dorrian's disappearance

Appeal again over Lisa Dorrian’s disappearance

Almost 18 years after she was last seen, there was a renewed appeal for information about and alleged murder of Lisa Dorrian. The 25-year-old from Bangor was last seen at a party at Ballyhalbert Caravan Park on Sunday, February 27, 2005. Tragically, police believe she was killed that night or in the early hours of the next morning. A £20,000 reward has been offered by the charity Crimestoppers…

[only-cats-photos]

Ballyhalbert County Down, In search of colour http://ift.tt/2g2ddui - Follow me http://ift.tt/Roy1qi

[rosswatchrepairs-blog]

Raymond Weil watch battery replacement Ballyhalbert

Raymond Weil watch battery replacement Ballyhalbert

Raymond Weil watch battery replacement Ballyhalbert

Raymond Weil watch battery replacement Ballyhalbert, Northern Ireland and UK. We are able to repair any watch in the UK .This is due to our postal service.

The estimated turnaround on all watch battery replacements is only 2-3 working days. While manufacturers and jewellers, in some cases, can quote up to 3 weeks. We are rather fast in…

[fettesans]

Left, photograph by Tim Walker, from the editorial Don’t Shoot, for Vogue Italia September 1999. Via. Right, photograph by Mårten Lange, from the series and eponymous book The Mechanism, 2017. His exhibition at Robert Morat Galerie is on view from March 18th until May 20th, 2017.

--

Gevinson, who has over 500,000 followers on the app, posted several photos documenting her move to 300 Ashland, a glossy 35-story tower in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. In many of the posts, she explicitly listed her new address — 300 Ashland Place — in the location field. In captions touting the building’s amenities and prime location, she used the hashtag #300AshlandParnter (sic), signaling to her followers that she was being paid for the posts.

(...) It is less clear why Gevinson would want to reveal her personal address for the sake of an advertising partnership. Gevinson has previously created sponsored content for upscale brands like Tiffany, but this 300 Ashland deal is unlike anything she — or really any celebrity — has done before. Plenty of stars have posted ads for Airbnb vacation rentals, but those kinds of deals do not require celebs to reveal their exact location or make themselves available to other building tenants. Will celebrity apartment advertising become the new normal?

Allie Jones, from The New Frontier in Celebrity Spon-Con: Tavi Gevinson Advertises Her Own Address, for NY Magazine, March 15, 2017.

See also, "They are branding their company with our life,”, From her home in Ballyhalbert, Barbara Morrow scans up to six  different camera feeds a day, waiting and watching for suspicious  activity, and, Women are watched all the time. How often are men watched?

[ashathestarofcountydown]

Asha Leading the way to the Bunny Trail by Asha Connie Kells Via Flickr: I was just going through some of my older pictures and came across one of my first Easter pictures of Asha taken with my wee compact in Ballyhalbert. |I thought it was quite cute so thought I'd upload it to Wish everybody a Happy Easter Monday

[usafphantom2]

Spitfire Vb 1943.

Spitfires VBs of 315 (polish) Sqn. escorting a General's plane after his visit to Ballyhalbert, Ireland in 1943.

[only-cats-photos]

Ballyhalbert County Down, In search of colour http://ift.tt/2yz8aJq - Follow me http://ift.tt/Roy1qi

[ashathestarofcountydown]

The Burr Disc by connie kells Via Flickr: The Burr Disc is a metal Disc with the Letter 'E' in the centre to make the most Easterly point in Ireland which is situated at this point in Ballyhalbert County Down Northern Ireland. I decided to upload a wee series of pictures that I took this day in Ballyhalbert. I thought this a interesting wee picture as it shows the abandoned trawler 'Ocean Adventure' in the background which gives more of a scale to the other pictures I've uploaded of this boat. The main focal point though in The Burr Disc and Asha just adds a more personal touch to this picture for me...

[ashathestarofcountydown]

a black & white border collie by connie kells Via Flickr: Asha unsure of being turned into a Black and White border Collie at Ballyhalbert County Down

[ashathestarofcountydown]

Lest we forget the War Dogs 11.11 by connie kells Via Flickr: Asha laying her Poppy at the Cenotaph at Ballyhalbert County Down for Remembrance Day 11.11. In remembrance of All who gave their lives for the love of their country and man.

[ashathestarofcountydown]

Lest we Forget... by Asha Connie Kells Via Flickr: This is a older picture taken of Asha at the Cenotaph in Ballyhalbert County Down for Remembrance Sunday. I actually uploaded this previously to my other account. I just decided to upload it again to this new account for Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day tomorrow. I wasn't going to upload a photo for this day but just decided at the last minute to honour our brave men and Women and War animals who gave their lives for us..."Heroes don't wear capes they wear Dog Tags"

[ashathestarofcountydown]

This is riDiSCulous by connie kells Via Flickr: Burr Disc Ballyhalbert County Down