22 February 2024
Veteran, Jackie Morris, passed away in October 2022. The Glasgow-born Ulster Defence Regiment veteran passed away in a care home with no relatives or close friends by his bedside. At the time of his funeral a call went out on social media asking people to attend the funeral service – this call was answered by hundreds of veterans who came along to pay their respects.
After the funeral, it was brought to the attention of the Veterans Commissioner, Danny Kinahan, and his office, that a headstone should be erected at the grave of Mr Morris. The Commissioner’s Office was able to source funding and enlisted the services of UDR veteran Stuart Brooker, from Co. Fermanagh, to procure the headstone which was erected this week in Belmont Cemetery, Antrim.
Danny Kinahan, Veterans Commissioner, said the following: “The erection of this headstone at Mr Morris’ grave in Antrim is a fitting tribute to a veteran who served with the Ulster Defence Regiment during the difficult and dark days of our Troubles. I was honoured to attend the funeral service at the time and for someone who had no family connections it was wonderful to see hundreds of people, including fellow veterans, come out to pay their respects.
“I would also like to pay tribute and give a special word of thanks to Stuart Brooker, a UDR veteran himself, who has worked closely with my office over recent months in designing, procuring and erecting this headstone in memory of Jackie and for providing his services voluntarily.
“It is important that we provide our veterans with the recognition they deserve both in life and in death and I am pleased to see this headstone now in place – Lest we forget”
NI Veterans Commissioner – Danny Kinahan
ENDS//