Friday 7 June 2013

Rifleman James Sharpe 12th Batt Royal Irish Rifles

NAME; Sharpe, James
RANK;Rifleman
SERV. NO;878
UNIT/SERVICE;12th Battalion
REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles
BORN; Knockagh, Carrickfergus
LIVED; Knockagh, Carrickfergus
ENLISTED;
FATE; Killed in Action - 7th June 1917 aged 22
CEMETERY;Spanbroekmolen British Cemetery - Belgium, Special Memorial E2
CHURCH;
MEMORIAL;
REMARK:
Son of Robert and Ellen Sharpe. Rifleman Sharpe was killed in action during for famous and bloody Battle for Messines Ridge 5th to 12th June 1917.  He is buried at Spanbroekmolen Cemetery,
The cemetery is named after a windmill which stood nearby and contains the graves of men killed in action on the first (or, in three cases the second) day of the Battle of Messines in 1917. The cemetery was destroyed in subsequent operations but found again after the Armistice.

There are 58 casualties of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. Special memorials commemorate six servicemen who were known to have been buried in the cemetery but whose graves were later destroyed.  James Sharpe's memorial would appear to be one of the graves that was destroyed hence the special memorial. 
 
Spanbroekmolan British Cemetery
 

No comments:

Post a Comment