The family of Joe Gilmore recall his heroisn and sense of adventure.

Ardglass' Flying hero.
John Joseph (Joe) Gilmore, an inventor and pilot, hailed from Ardglass and gained notoriety in 1933 as the first man to parachute jump in Ireland.

This summer, as Mr. Gilmore will be immortalised with a blue plaque at his former address of 20 High Street, Ardglass, 10 of his children and grandchildren plan to travel from their home in Canada to witness the unveiling of the honour bestowed by the Ulster History Circle.
All are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to meet with people who may remember Mr. Gilmore and to visit with extended family still living in the area.
It is sure to be an emotional pilgrimage for the Gilmore family who now live in Canada. 

The life of an adventurer
John Joseph Gilmore is credited with a number of impressive feats.  In addition to the parachute jump in 1933, he built and flew his own airplane, as well as making his name by inventing the de-icing and fuel dumping systems for aircraft.  With his inquiring mind and problem solving attitude, he also sought patents for tyre treads, gill for water aircraft and a visual aid device to draw a "lazy eye" in the right direction.  He was born in Belfast on June 22 1900 to Patrick Gilmore and Elizabeth Crangle Gilmore, on 31 Lowry Street, before moving to Ardglass.  He married Mary in the 1920s and they had six children.  The Gilmores emigrated to Quebec in Canada, where many of the family still live.
But he remained closely tied to Co Down and even named his plane "The star of Ulster".  It was the part he played in ferrying aircraft bombers to Britain through Gander in Newfoundland during World War II that he was awarded the MBE.
Historian, Cecil Edison, said about Gilmore: "This is the one man that should have been decorated a thousand times over, for all the rescue missions he flew looking for downed planes." 
However, his fascination with the skies ultimately led to his demise in May 1945 in an air crash.  As it is the centenary year of the pioneering first flight in Ireland by Harry Ferguson across Newcastle shore, the Ulster Aviation Society is planning a series of celebratory events that will include the unreiling of the Hight Street plaque.

The final resting place of Joe Gilmore (is) in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada.  He is the only civilian burried in the war graves commemorative cemetery.

AVIATION COLUMN by Frank Tibbo - Sept. 28, 1998 - JOE GILMORE

John Joseph Gilmore was a most remarkable fellow. Details of his background and many of his exploits are difficult to find, but enough is known to acknowledge that the Town of Gander was correct in naming a street in his honour.
During World War II, the RAF Ferry Command hired Gilmore as a civilian engineer and granted him the military rank of Flight Lieutenant. That alone would certainly not afford him local fame, but he did more than fix aircraft.
Joe owned an aircraft and loved to fly, and so whenever he heard of someone in trouble he was off to help. He deservedly earned a reputation as a one man search and rescue unit.
All it cost the military authorities at the base was fuel for his aircraft. The RCAF gratefully accepted his assistance when searching for downed airmen. Sometimes the RCAF aircraft were busy searching for a downed aircraft and Gilmore would be called on to bring an emergency medical patient to the RCAF Hospital. He flew to several Newfoundland settlements with an RCAF physician aboard bringing emergency medical relief.
The following excerpts from the Gander RCAF Station Diary give an idea of the work done by Gilmore.

Oct. 13, 1944 Today F/L A.B. Bird, Medical officer at this station took off on a mercy flight to Seal Cove in the RAF Norseman piloted by Mr. Gilmore. They were airborne at approximately 1725 hours. Although the weather at Gander was good, they found on landing at Seal Cove there was a wind blowing about 40 m.p.h. The Norseman had landed on the long bay but the pilot was unable to turn it due to the wind velocity and they drifted for nearly three hours in constant danger of being smashed against the rocks. After this time the pilot shot flares and a motor boat managed to put out and come to them. With the assistance of this vessel they were able to get the Norseman to the shelter of Western Arm, where they were to pick up their patient. On arrival here, however, they were told it was not Western Arm, but Western Point at which they would locate the patient - a woman resident of the point. By this time the weather had grown so rough that any thought of proceeding further was out of the question and they were forced to spend the night at Western Arm.

Oct. 14, 1944 Continuing the story of the mercy flight: This morning the weather had cleared and the wind had died. The Norseman took off and shortly landed at Western Point. Here they found that the patient had recovered and would, moreover, have refused to go with them under any circumstances - being afraid of air travel. The news that a doctor was at the point had travelled and several people with small illnesses and minor injuries asked his aid. Just before they took off on the return trip a lad of six was brought in from a neighbouring, and seemingly unnamed, cove. As the child was found to be suffering from pneumonia they placed him in the Norseman and brought him back. He is now a patient in the RCAF hospital, Gander, and another mercy flight is completed.

Joe Gilmore's life ended in tragedy. On May 1, 1945, en route to Montreal with passenger Squadron Leader Frank L. Ratcliffe, the Norseman crashed near Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Both men were killed.
The bodies were brought back to Gander for interment. If you visit the Commonwealth Graves Cemetery, you will find GILMORE, Pilot JOHN J. R.A.F. Ferry Command, Row 14, Grave 11, and RATCLIFFE, Sqd. Ldr. FRANK LATHAM, R.A.F. Row 14, Grave 12

In addition to being the first parachute jump in Ireland, this was a test of the Sir Raymond Quilters parachute for the Free State Air Corps. (Irish Air Corps)

Fox Moth, one of two owned by Newfoundland Government, prior to Confederation and flown extensively by John Joseph (Joe) Gilmore in Search and Rescue as well as Mercy Flights (now called Medevac flights).