The Irish Tricolour and the British union flag were flown alongside each other at the war memorial in the Diamond in Derry yesterday in memory of soldiers killed at the Battle of Messines in 1917.
The event, supported by the Royal British Legion, was attended by representatives of the Royal Naval Association, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association, the Irish UN Veterans' Association and the Irish School for Peace Studies.
Also present were members of the Condron family from Waterford whose uncle, John, died aged 13, at the Battle of Messines. He was the youngest Allied soldier to die in the first World War. "This is so emotional and so special for us," said the young soldier's nephew, John. "My uncle stowed away to the war at the age of 12. He was killed in a place called Mouse Trap Farm outside Ypres. It was one of the first gas attacks and a lot of men were killed and today we're so proud to be here to see the Irish and British national flags flying alongside each other in Derry ... I never thought I would live to see this day," he said.
The event was organised by Glen Barr of the Irish School for Peace Studies. "It's been a long time in coming to have the British and Irish flags flying together at the cenotaph here in this city, but I always knew this day would arrive," he said.