The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland has launched a special appeal to commemorate its members who were murdered during the Troubles.

The Murdered Brethern Appeal was launched at the organisation's headquarters - Schomberg House on Thursday, April 5 2007.

The Orange Order believes that over 300 of its members were murdered as a result of the Troubles. Of those, almost 200 were current or former members of the security forces.

The Grand Lodge is planning to mark the sacrifice with a stained glass window at Schomberg House and a book of remembrance similar to that at Police Headquarters in Belfast.

A special badge has been designed and is being sold along with other items such as cufflinks to raise funds. It is estimated that £20,000 is needed for the stained glass window.

The badge is a cross symbolic of the international war graves and also features Luther's rose and the purple star of the Orange Order.

"So many lives were cruelly and needlessly cut short," said Grand Master Robert Saulters.

"When the Troubles began we encouraged our members right across Northern Ireland to join the security forces and serve their community at a time of great danger. The response from Orangemen was very strong but unfortunately many of them suffered death and injury as a result.

"The victims were not all in the security forces however. Many were murdered simply because they were members of the Orange Order.

"In the case of the Tullyvallen Orange Hall massacre in 1975, the IRA burst into a lodge meeting and murdered five defenceless Orangemen.

"The Order also lost members in other atrocities at Kingsmills and Enniskillen.

"Orangemen have served this country with honour and great bravery and many have paid the ultimate sacrifice as a result. We must not forget the important role they played in protecting our community from terrorism."

The Grand Secretary Drew Nelson said the role of Orangemen serving the community during the Troubles must never be ignored.

"Orangemen wore the uniform of their country in incredibly difficult and dangerous situations. Members of the Ulster Defence Regiment and the RUC often lived in isolated areas where they were under a constant threat of attack.

"We owe it to them and their families that they should not be forgotten.

"In Tyrone over 80 of our members were murdered and only six of those murders have been solved. It is something we would like the Historic Enquiries Team of the PSNI to investigate.
"The Orange Order helped to defeat the men of evil and hopefully now we can create a lasting memorial to them.

"We have set up a special committee to decide the best way of marking their contribution and we have consulted widely with the families. This badge , the stained glass window and the book of remembrance will be very visual ways of saying thank you."

The badges are available at the headquarters of the Orange Order. (SOLD OUT)

The cufflinks cost £7.50.