Corporal Robert Smyth - 12th Battalion R.I.R

19th October 1918 - 18795 Corporal Robert Smyth 12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles died of wounds sustained during the Battle of Courtrai.  Corporal Smyth was a member of Joymount Presbyterian Church in Carrickfergus and lived in Woodburn.  He was born in Carrickfergus C1897 and enlisted with the Rifles in 1916.  He is buried in Duhallow A.D.S. Cemetery - Duhallow Advanced Dressing Station, believed to have been named after a southern Irish hunt, was a medical post 1.6 kilometres north of Ypres. The cemetery was begun in July 1917 and in October and November 1918, it was used by the 11th, 36th and 44th Casualty Clearing Stations. There are now 1,544 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery, 231 of the burials unidentified. 

DUHALLOW A.D.S. CEMETERY

NAME; Smyth, Robert

RANK; Corporal

SERV. NO; 18795

UNIT/SERVICE; 12^th Batt

REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles

BORN; Carrickfergus

LIVED; Woodburn Carrickfergus

ENLISTED; Carrickfergus

FATE; Died of Wounds, France, October 19^th 1918 aged 21

CEMETERY; DUHALLOW A.D.S. CEMETERY (Belgium) - IV. J. 4.

CHURCH; Joymount Presbyterian

REMARKS; Son of Robert Smyth, of Woodburn, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim

Gunner Sydney Allcock

Today 1917 Gunner Sydney Allcock 8673 19th Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery of Unity Street was killed in action  in the Ypres area of Belgium during the third Ypres Campaign Battle of Passchendaele. 
 

He is buried in Canada Farm Cemetery along with 906 other British and Canadian Great War soldiers.  The cemetery took its name from a farmhouse used as a dressing station during the 1917 Allied offensive on this front. Most of the burials are of men who died at the dressing station between June and October 1917.  

Sydney Allock was born in Newport, Isle of Wight but moved to Ireland with his family in the late 1800's.  By the time he came to signing up for the war effort in 1915 he was living in 16 Unity Street Carrickfergus.  He was well known around the town and part of the congregation at St Nicholas Church.  News of his death in 1917 was reported with great sadness in the Carrickfergus Advertiser noting that "great lose is felt with at the death of Gunner S Allock... he was well known to many locally and will be sadly missed".  

CANADA FARM CEMETERY – Belgium - III. E. 3.

Confirmation of Sydney's death in the Belfast Telegraph 1917

NAME; Allcock, Sydney

RANK; Gunner

SERV. NO; 8673

UNIT/SERVICE; Royal Garrison Artillery

REGIMENT; 19th Heavy Bty.

BORN; Newport, Isle of Wight

LIVED; Unity Street, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED; Carrickfergus

FATE; Killed in Action – France and Flanders 19^th October 1917 aged 29

CEMETERY; CANADA FARM CEMETERY – Belgium - III. E. 3.

CHURCH; St Nicholas Church of Ireland, Carrickfergus

MEMORIAL;

REMARKS; Son of Richard and Jessie Allcock, of Church View, Tuam, Co. Galway

Rifleman James Baird

Today 1916 Rifleman James Baird of Woodburn Carrickfergus was killed in action during the Battle of the Somme specifically the Battle of Le Transloy.  Many often forget that the Battle dragged on for so long with history tending to focus on the 1st July 1916, the first day of the Battle when the British suffered over 60,000 casualties. The Battle actually lasted until the middle of November 1916 by which time there had been some 419,654 British casualties and over 1 million on all sides making it one of the bloodiest military operations ever recorded.  

James Baird 17224 - 12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (Central Antrim Volunteers) was originally from Ayr but lived and worked in Carrickfergus were he enlisted in 1915.  He was a member of 1st Carrickfergus Presbyterian Church and is buried in La Plus Douve Farm Cemetery – IV. A8 http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/51300/LA%20PLUS%20DOUVE%20FARM%20CEMETERY 

NAME; Baird, James

RANK; Rifleman

SERV. NO; 17224

UNIT/SERVICE; Royal Irish Rifles

REGIMENT; 12^th Battalion

BORN; Larne, Co. Antrim

LIVED; Ayr / Woodburn, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED; Carrickfergus

FATE; Killed in Action – 16^th October 1916 – France and Flanders

CEMETERY; La Plus Douve Farm Cemetery – IV. A8

CHURCH; 1^st Carrickfergus Pres.

MEMORIAL;

REMARKS; Son of Mrs Baird, 27 Claines Street, Ayr

Rifleman Robert Kirk - Davy's Street, Carrickfergus

Some information on Rifleman Robert Kirk who was killed in action 14th October 1918 less than a month before the end of the Great War.

NAME; Kirk, Robert

RANK; Rifleman

SERV. NO; 6103

UNIT/SERVICE; 1^st Batt

REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles

BORN; Carrickfergus

LIVED; Davy’s Street, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED;

FATE; Killed in Action, France, October 14^th 1918

CEMETERY; DADIZEELE NEW BRITISH CEMETERY (Belgium) - II. A. 2.

CHURCH; St Nicholas, COI, Carrickfergus

MEMORIAL; St Nicholas, COI

REMARKS; Son of Mr. T. Kirk, of Davys St., Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim

Carrickfergus Men and HMS Hawke

Early in the First World War, Hawke, commanded by Capt. Hugh P.E.T. Williams, was engaged in various operations in the North Sea. On 15 October 1914 Hawke, sailing with her sister ship Theseus, was torpedoed by German submarine U-9. The submarine's first torpedo missed Theseus but hit Hawke, igniting a magazine and causing a tremendous explosion which ripped much of the ship apart. Hawke sank in a few minutes with the loss of her captain, 26 officers and 497 men; only 70 of her 594 crew survived. Of the men who died that day were two sailors from Carrickfergus, Stoker 1st Class Marriott (Martie) Robert Donald of Red Brae Cottage and Stoker 1st Class Andrew McAllister of Patterson's Row.  Neither body was ever recovered and both men are remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial in Portsmouth. 

The U-Boat that torpedoed HMS Hawke - U-9 - was also responsible for the sinking of a number of other Royal and Merchant Naval vessels including HMS Cressy in September 1914 on which Carrickfergus man Henry McMurran was killed.  The profiles of all 3 men are listed below the picture of HMS Hawke - as always any information you could add will be greatly received. 

NAME; Donald, Marriott Robert (Martie)

RANK; Stoker 1st

SERV. NO; SS/107927

UNIT/SERVICE; Royal Navy

REGIMENT; HMS “Hawke”

BORN; Carrickfergus – 25^th October 1886

LIVED; Carrickfergus – Red Brae Cottage

ENLISTED;

FATE; Killed as a result of enemy action 15^th October 1914

CEMETERY; BODY NOT RECOVERED

CHURCH;

MEMORIAL; Chatham Naval Memorial – Panel 5

REMARKS; Son of Isabella Donald of Red Brae Cottage and the late Robert Donald.  Husband to Bella Donald. 

. 

NAME; McAllister, Andrew

RANK; Stoker 1^st Class

SERV. NO; SS/103005

UNIT/SERVICE; Royal Navy

REGIMENT; H.M.S “Hawke” (RFR/CH/B/7656)

BORN; Carrickfergus – September 1^st 1887

LIVED; Carrickfergus – Patterson’s Row, Woodburn

ENLISTED;

FATE; Killed following torpedo attack on October 15^th 1914

CEMETERY; Body never recovered.

CHURCH; Joymount Presbyterian

MEMORIAL; CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL – UK – Panel 5

REMARKS; Widow: Susan McAllister of Patterson’s Row, Woodburn, Carrickfergus

NAME; McMurran, Henry

RANK; Stoker 1^st Class

SERV. NO; SS/103004

UNIT/SERVICE; Royal Navy Unit: (RFR/CH/B/7687

REGIMENT; H.M.S “Cressy”

BORN; Carrickfergus

LIVED; Sullatober, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED;

FATE; Lost at Sea – 22^nd September 1914 aged 27

CEMETERY; Body never recovered

CHURCH;

MEMORIAL; Chatham Naval Memorial – Panel 5

REMARKS; Son of James and Margaret McMurran  - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cressy_%281899%29

 

Private John Carton Clarke

Today 1916 Private John Carton Clarke was killed in action during the battle of the Somme.  He was born in Castlerock but moved to Carrickfergus presumably seeking employment.   He enlisted in Carrickfergus aged 15 and less than a year later was killed.  His body, like so many others, was never recovered - he is remembered in name on the Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 8C, 9A and 16A.  When I first discovered details of Private Clarke it was of special interest given the Regiment he enlisted with, 9th Battalion - Royal Fusiliers - City of London Regiment.  As of yet I have been unable to find out why he joined this particular regiment but I continue to search for information.  Details of the attack in which John Clarke was killed are in the remarks section below.  

JS

NAME; Clarke, John Carton  

Rank: Private 

SERV. NO; 23278

UNIT/SERVICE; Royal Fusiliers – City of London Regiment

REGIMENT; 9^th Battalion

BORN; Castlerock – Londonderry - 1897

LIVED; Carrickfergus

ENLISTED; Carrickfergus 1915

FATE; Killed in Action – France and Flanders – 7^th October 1916 aged 19

CEMETERY; Body Never recovered

CHURCH;

MEMORIAL; Thiepval Memorial (France) – Pier and Face 8C, 9A & 16A

REMARKS; Son of W. T & Genna Clarke of Castlerock Derry. 9th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was in 18th (Eastern) Division involved in the attacks in October 1916 on the stubbornly defended and vital position of and around the Schwaben Redoubt. On 7th October there was a determined counter-attack by the Germans to recapture the Redoubt.  It appears Private Clarke was killed during this assault.

9th Battalion City of London Regiment

Cap Badge of the Royal Fusiliers

 

Parents: W. T. and Genna G. M. Clarke, of Castlerock, Co. Derry.

Copyright ©2012: http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/ViewRecord/1708349?reference=arrowLinks

Parents: W. T. and Genna G. M. Clarke, of Castlerock, Co. Derry.

Copyright ©2012: http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/ViewRecord/1708349?reference=arrowLinks

Parents: W. T. and Genna G. M. Clarke, of Castlerock, Co. Derry.

Copyright ©2012: http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/ViewRecord/1708349?reference=arrowLinks

Private Walter Savage

NAME; Savage, Walter

RANK; Private

SERV. NO; 25684

UNIT/SERVICE; 2^nd Battalion

REGIMENT; Somerset Light Infantry (formerly 12899 Royal Irish Rifles)

BORN; Carrickfergus

LIVED;

ENLISTED; Carrickfergus

FATE; Died, India, October 6^th 1916

CEMETERY; Buried Quetta Govt. Cem.

CHURCH;

MEMORIAL; DELHI MEMORIAL (INDIA GATE) – Face 1

REMARKS;

Sapper Albert Victor Patten - Carrickfergus

Today 1918 Albert Victor Patten, Son of Frederick Thomas and Priscilla Charlotte Patten, of "Sunnyside", Belfast Rd., Carrickfergus was killed in action while on service with the 4th Field Survey Company - Royal Engineers in Belgium.  Sapper Patten (244605) was 25 years old when he died and is now buried in Dadizeele New British Cemetery (location; I. E. 6.) in West-Vlaanderen Belgium.  I have so far been unsuccessful in finding a picture of Sapper Patten however I have been able to locate a picture of his grave stone in Belgium.

The Belfast Telegraph of Monday 6th October 1919 under the section Our Heroes -- In Memoriam
contained the following:

PATTEN -- In loving memory of our dear son, Sapper Albert Victor Patten (244605), Royal Engineers, F.S>C., killed in action 6th October, 1918, and buried in Terhand Cemetery, Belgium.
   
 Our grief the world can never know,
          Nor thoughts of sadness that are mine,
     As with the years we older grow
          Our hearts for you will ever pine.
 
Ever remembered by his sorrowing Father, Mothers, Brothers, Sister, and Brother-in-law, West Street, Carrickfergus. 



The Patten family also have a family burial in Victoria Cemetery where Sapper Patten is also remembered, I will try to get a picture of this sometime this weekend and upload.  As with all the men killed in action I am keen to get some understanding of how they died or in what operation they were involved at that time.  I have been unable to get any information as to the location of Sapper Patten or his Company on that day but will update this entry as and when.

If always if you have any additional information on this or any other entry I would be glad to hear it.

JS.

Fergus Knox of Whitehead

Just this morning I got this picture of 2nd Lieutenant Fergus Knox of Whitehead, I was unaware of him before getting the picture so now the challenge begins in building up a profile and finding out more about his story.

NAME; Knox, Fergus, Y

RANK; 2^nd Lieutenant

SERV. NO;?

UNIT/SERVICE;

REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles

BORN;Whitehead, Carrickfergus

LIVED; Whitehead, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED;

FATE; Wounded - Survived the War

CEMETERY;

CHURCH;

MEMORIAL; 

REMARKS: Son of Rev. D.B Knox of Whitehead, Carrickfergus

First entry

As most first blog entries are rarely read I am going to keep this brief.  I have been planning to set up a blog & twitter feed for sometime giving daily information on the service men and women of Carrickfergus who served in the 1st and 2nd World Wars.  For the last 3 or so years I have been compiling a book profiling every man and women from the Borough who served in all areas of the war efforts and hope to have something published by the middle of next year.  

The Book which will be called "Carrickfergus Roll of Honour" has become an obsession of mine since I started in 2009, initially with about 250 names I was aware of the number of profiles has grown to nearly 750 with hundreds of pictures, anecdotes, press cuttings etc.  I have actually amassed so much it is unlikely I will be able to put it all into one book so I intend to use this blog for regular updates and sharing interesting stories and items that I find. 

I welcome comments on anything I put up and as always I ask that people get in touch if they have any information on relatives from Carrickfergus who served in either conflict - you can email me to carrickfergusrollofhonour@gmail.com

If you are on twitter and would like to follow us: https://twitter.com/Carrick_Heroes

Thanks for reading!

JS