As part of my research I have been asked by a number of local organisations to look into the service area of some of their members. One such request has come from L.O.L 553 Bennett's Chosen Few based in Albert Road.
According to the Carrickfergus Orange District Roll of Honour the following men served during the Great War and were members of 553.
Sidney Allcock
John Barry
William Gourley
Hugh Manson
William Milliken
Hugh McNeill
Thomas McGilton
Joseph McNeill
Thomas Robinson
Albert Ed. Salsbury
E.G Shaw
William Feeney
Alfred Upstall
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NAME; Allcock, Sydney
RANK; Gunner
SERV. NO; 8673
UNIT/SERVICE; Royal Garrison
Artillery
REGIMENT; 19th Heavy Battery
BORN; Newport,
Isle of Wight
LIVED; Unity Street, Carrickfergus
ENLISTED; Carrickfergus
FATE; Killed in Action – France and Flanders
19th October 1917 aged 29
CEMETERY; Canada Farm
Cemetery – Belgium - III E. 3
CHURCH; St Nicholas Church of
Ireland, Carrickfergus
MEMORIAL; St Nicholas Church of
Ireland
REMARKS; Sydney was the son of
Richard and Jessie Allcock, of Church View, Tuam, Co. Galway. Born in Newport,
Isle of Wight he 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 an active member of the Albert
Road Loyal Orange
Lodge 553. Sydney
was killed in action in the Ypres area of Belgium
during the 3rd 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. He was well known around
Carrickfergus 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".
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NAME; Barry, John
RANK; Seaman
SERV. NO; Unknown
UNIT/SERVICE; Royal Navy Reserve
REGIMENT; Unknown
BORN; Carrickfergus 1881
LIVED; Eden, Carrickfergus
ENLISTED; Carrickfergus
FATE; Survived the War
CEMETERY; N/A
CHURCH; Joymount Presbyterian
MEMORIAL; N/A
REMARKS; John Barry was born in
Carrickfergus in 1881, he was the husband of Catherine Barry and father to
James and John. In 1911 he is listed as
living in the Eden
village area and was working as a labourer at the local salt works. He signed with Ulster
Covenant on Ulster
Day 1912 in Carrickfergus Court
House. He and his family were members of
Joymount Presbyterian and John was a member of Bennett’s Chosen Few LOL 553. He enlisted with the Royal Naval Reserve
following the outbreak of war in 1914, little is known about his service record
except that he survived the war.
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NAME; Gourley, William
RANK; Unknown
SERV. NO; Unknown
UNIT/SERVICE;
REGIMENT; Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders
BORN; Unknown
LIVED; Carrickfergus
ENLISTED; Unknown
FATE; Survived the war
CEMETERY; N/A
CHURCH; Unknown
MEMORIAL; N/A
REMARKS; We know little about
William Gourley except that he survived with the Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders during the war and was a member of Bennett’s Chosen Few LOL 553
based on Albert Road in Carrickfergus.
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NAME; Manson, Hugh
RANK; Sergeant
SERV. NO;
UNIT/SERVICE; 2nd Battalion
REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles
BORN; Carrickfergus in 1888
LIVED; Carson Street, Larne
ENLISTED;
FATE; Wounded but survived the
war
CEMETERY; N/A
CHURCH; Albert Road Congregational
MEMORIAL; N/A
REMARKS; Hugh was the son of
William and Mary Manson and brother of Jane, Isabella, Thomas, William, James
and Samuel who also served. Prior to the war he was a mill worker living
between Larne and Carrickfergus. He signed the Ulster
Covenant on Ulster
Day 1912 in the 1st Larne Presbyterian Church, at that point he was
living in 2 Jubilee Street Larne. Hugh joined the Royal Irish Rifles and was
attested to the 2nd Battalion, he was reported in dispatches August
1917 as being wounded for the 5th time and was now in a base
hospital. On the 5th occasion he suffered shrapnel wounds to
his back. Served from the start of the war – Carrick Advertiser reports
in August 1917 that he would soon be promoted to the rank of sergeant.
Hugh was a members of Bennett's Chosen Few LOL. His brother James Manson
was killed in action June 29th 1916.
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NAME; Milliken, William
RANK; Private
SERV. NO; Unknown
UNIT/SERVICE; Labour Corps
REGIMENT; Royal Engineers
BORN; Carrickfergus 1873
LIVED; Davy’s Street, Carrickfergus
ENLISTED; Unknown
FATE; Survived the war
CEMETERY; N/A
CHURCH; Joymount Presbyterian
MEMORIAL; N/A
REMARKS; William was the husband
of Christina Milliken and father to Robert, William, Thomas and
Elizabeth. He was born in Carrickfergus in 1873 and by 1911 was living in
Davy's Street in the town with his family working as labourer. His wife
Christina was born in Scotland.
William was an Orange man and a member of Bennett’s Chosen Few LOL 553, the
entire family were also members of the Joymount Presbyterian
Congregation. On Ulster
Day in 1912 William signed the Ulster
Covenant at Carrickfergus Court
House. During the war he joined the
labour corps of the Royal Engineers, probably due to his age - The Labour Corps
were formed in the feb' of 1917 and lasted until 1921. It was made up of men
that had been in the front line and who had been either wounded or taken ill
and could not be returned to the front or men who, on enlistment, were found to
be too old or did not pass as fit enough to be sent to the front. By the
November of 1918 some 400,000 men were serving in the Labour Corps. Being in
this body of men did not stop you being killed by enemy action as some 9,000
men were killed. Their duties would have been anything from helping in stores,
taking equipment up to the front, repairing roads and such like, helping at
rest areas by manning theatres and cinema's in fact anything that was need of
them they would have done. We know nothing about his service record or
life after the war except that he survived the war.
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NAME; McNeill, Hugh
RANK; Rifleman
SERV. NO;
UNIT/SERVICE; 12th
Battalion "B Coy"
REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles
BORN; Carrickfergus 1896
LIVED; 10 McKeen’s Row,
Carrickfergus
ENLISTED; September 1914 in
Carrickfergus
FATE; Wounded in the left thigh
– Survived the war
CEMETERY; N/A
CHURCH; Joymount Presbyterian
MEMORIAL; N/A
REMARKS; Hugh was the son of
Hugh and Ellen McNeill and brother of Matilda, Maggie, Lezzie, and James.
Hewas born in Carrickfergus in 1896, by 1901 the McNeill family were living in
rural Carrickfergus, his father working as a farm labourer. On Ulster Day 1912 he signed the Ulster Covenant in Carrickfergus Court
House. By 1914 Hugh was living in 10
McKeen’s Row, Carrickfergus and working at the International Salt Works Company
LTD. The entire family were members of the Joymount Presbyterian church
and Hugh was an active members of Bennett's Chosen Few LOL. On the
outbreak of war Hugh like many of his mates locally enlisted with the 12th
Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, he was to see action across the Western Front. He was reported as being wounded badly in the
left thigh in 1916 but survived the war.
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NAME; McGilton, Thomas
RANK; Rifleman
SERV. NO;
UNIT/SERVICE;
REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles
BORN;
LIVED; Victoria Street,
Carrickfergus
ENLISTED;
FATE; Survived the War
CEMETERY;
CHURCH;
MEMORIAL;
REMARKS; Little is known about Thomas McGilton, he is listed as a member
of Bennett's Chosen Few L.O.L on their Role of Honour and as living in Victoria
Street, Carrickfergus. He served with
the Royal Irish Rifles and survived the war.
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NAME; O’Neill, Joseph
RANK;
SERV. NO;
UNIT/SERVICE; 6th Battalion
REGIMENT; Inniskilling Dragoons
BORN;
LIVED;
ENLISTED;
FATE; Survived the war
CEMETERY;
CHURCH;
MEMORIAL;
REMARKS; Member of LOL 553,
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NAME; Robinson, Thomas
RANK;
SERV. NO;
UNIT/SERVICE;
REGIMENT; Royal Field Artillery
BORN;
LIVED;
ENLISTED;
FATE; Survived the war
CEMETERY;
CHURCH;
MEMORIAL;
REMARKS; Member of LOL 553,
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NAME; Salsbury, Albert Edward
RANK;
SERV. NO;
UNIT/SERVICE;
REGIMENT; Royal Garrison Artillery
BORN;
LIVED;
ENLISTED;
FATE; Survived the war
CEMETERY;
CHURCH;
MEMORIAL;
REMARKS; Albert Edward Salsbury appears on the Carrickfergus LOL District roll of honour as a member of 553 Bennett's Chosen Few. There is no record of him in the census of either 1901 or 1911.
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NAME; Shaw, Edward G.
RANK; Unknown
SERV. NO; Unknown
UNIT/SERVICE; 12th Battalion "C Coy"
REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles
BORN; Carrickfergus 1871
LIVED; Upper Woodburn,
Carrickfergus
ENLISTED; September 1914 in Carrickfergus
FATE; Survived the War
CEMETERY; N/A
CHURCH; Presbyterian
MEMORIAL; N/A
REMARKS; Edward Shaw was born in Carrickfergus in 1871, in 1901 and 1911 he
is listed as living in the Middle Division of Carrickfergus more than likely
the Woodburn area of the town living with his wife Jemima and son William born
in 1900, Henry born 1907, daughter Rachel born 1902 and Susan born 1905. The entire family were members
of the Presbyterian church and Edward was a member of Bennett's Chosen Few LOL
553. Prior to the war he worked as a
salt miner at the local salt mine works.
On the 28th September 1912 he signed the Ulster Covenant at Carrickfergus Court House where he is
listed as living in Upper Woodburn. Edward enlisted with the 12th Battalion
Royal Irish Rifles in September 1914 and was assigned to C Company. We know nothing about his service record
except that he survived the war.
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NAME; Teeney, William Henry
RANK;
SERV. NO; Unknown
UNIT/SERVICE;
REGIMENT; Royal Engineers
BORN; England 1878
LIVED; Irish Quarter South Carrickfergus
ENLISTED;
FATE; Survived the war
CEMETERY; N/A
CHURCH; Presbyterian Church
MEMORIAL; N/A
REMARKS; William Tenney was
born in Liverpool, England in 1878, by 1911 he was living in Irish Quarter West
Carrrickfergus with his wife Annie and their 3 children Herbet, Norman and
Hildred. William was a bricklayer by
trade and following the outbreak of war in 1914 enlisted with the Royal
Engineers. He was a member of Bennett's
Chosen Few LOL 553.
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NAME; Upstall, Alfred
RANK;
SERV. NO;
UNIT/SERVICE; 12th Battalion "B Coy"
REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles
BORN; Cornwall, England 1882
LIVED; Glyn
Park, Carrickfergus
ENLISTED; September 1914 in Carrickfergus
FATE; Survived the war
CEMETERY; N/A
CHURCH; Church
of Ireland
MEMORIAL; N/A
REMARKS; Alfred was born
in Cornwall England in 1882, in 1901 aged 19 he is listed as a journeyman
working as a gardener with his brother George in Audleystone, Strangford.
By 1911 he is listed as head of the house working still as a servant gardener now
in Castleward Strangford. It is not clear when Alfred moved to
Carrickfergus however according to records he enlisted with the 12th Battalion
Royal Irish Rifles in September 1914 just one month after the outbreak of
war. His address on enlisting was Glyn Park
Carrickfergus. Alfred was a member of the Church of Ireland, (presumably St Nicholas), he was also a
member of Bennett's Chosen Few LOL 553 and is
listed on the Carrickfergus Orange District Roll of Honour.
