William McFadzean

William Frederick McFadzean VC (9 October 1895 – 1 July 1916) was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was posthumously awarded the VC for his actions on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme.

Early life William Frederick McFadzean was born in Lurgan in County Armagh, Ireland on 9 October 1895. His parents, William McFadzean and his wife Annie Pedlow , were from Belfast and lived in the suburb of Cregagh. Known as "Billy", he was educated at Mountpottinger National School and then the Trade Preparatory School of the Municipal Technical Institute.

Letters of condolences were written to McFadzean's father by the commander of the Ulster Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel Spencer Chichester, and Colonel F. O. Bowen, the commander of 14th Battalion.

Medal and legacy McFadzean's father was presented with his son's VC by the King in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 28 February 1917. The VC is held by the Royal Ulster Rifles Museum, in Belfast.

There are a number of memorials and remembrances of McFadzean, who is the best known of the Ulster Division VC recipients. There is a plaque to him at Newtownbreda Presbyterian Church in Belfast, which also hosted his memorial service on the one year anniversary of his death, and at his parents' house in Cregagh. There is also a mural depicting him in Cregagh and several in Belfast. His name is one of those listed on the memorial stone at the Thiepval Memorial for the VC recipients of the Ulster Division and he is also listed on the memorial tablet for the Royal Irish Rifles at St. Anne's Cathedral at Belfast. He is also commemorated in t-shirts, mugs and death scrolls, while the Ballad of Billy McFadzean is a well-known Loyalist song. On 13 October 2018 the Ancre Somme Association Charity unveiled a bronze bust of McFadzean in Lurgan.