Private George Baxter - 9th Batt Gordon Highlanders

NAME; Baxter, George

RANK; Private

SERV. NO; S/2934

UNIT/SERVICE; 9^th Battalion

REGIMENT; Gordon Highlanders

BORN; 1887

LIVED; Agnes Street, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED; 1915

FATE; Killed in France 22^nd October 1916 aged 29

CEMETERY; Body never recovered

CHURCH;

MEMORIAL; Thiepval Memorial, Somme

REMARKS; Son of John Baxter, husband to Alice Maud Crawford (formerly Baxter) of 13 Agnes Street, Carrickfergus – 9^th battalion Gordon Highlanders.  

Rifleman Thomas McDowell

NAME; McDowell, Thomas

RANK; Rifleman

SERV. NO; 12/18276

UNIT/SERVICE; 12^th Battalion

REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles

BORN; Carrickfergus

LIVED; 7 McKeen’s Row, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED; Carrickfergus 15^th September 1914

FATE; Died of influenza, France, October 22^nd 1918 aged 24

CEMETERY; COLOGNE SOUTHERN CEMETERY (Germany) - V. A. 7

CHURCH; Congregational

MEMORIAL;

REMARKS:  Thomas was born in Carrickfergus in 1894, son of James and Ellen McDowell and brother to Robert, John, Charles and George.  The entire family lived in 7 McKeen's Row and were all members of the Congregational Church on Albert Road.  Prior to enlisting Thomas worked as a black smiths helper at the works of the International Salt Company in Carrick.  He member of the Central Antrim UVF, he enlisted with 12^th Battalion at Barn Mills School on 15th September 1914.

Following training at Clandeboye and England he was sent on active service to France in October 1915 and served across the Western Front with the 12th Battalion.  He was taken prisoner of war on 1st July 1916 on the first day of the Battle of the Somme and spent the next 2 and a half year in Minden POW Camp in Germany.  He died of Spanish Flu in captivity on 22nd October 1918 just week before the end of the war.  He is buried in Cologne Southern Cemetery in Germany, location V. A. 7.  

Rifleman Samuel Hill - 1st man of the 36th Ulster Division to be killed on active service

NAME; Hill, Samuel

RANK; Rifleman

SERV. NO; 19557

UNIT/SERVICE; Royal Irish Rifles

REGIMENT; 12^th Battalion

BORN; Ayrshire, 1892

LIVED; Lancasterian Street, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED; Belfast

FATE; Died of Wounds – France and Flanders – 22^nd October 1915 aged 23

CEMETERY; Doullens Communal Cemetery Extensions NO.1 (France) – II D. 1

CHURCH; Joymount Presbyterian, Carrickfergus

MEMORIAL; N/A

REMARKS; Samuel was born in Ayrshire in 1892, the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Hill, of Rushpark, Whitehouse, Belfast, His mother came from Ayshire and his father was a native of Carrickfergus.  He was brother to James, Alexander, Mary A, David and Elizabeth. Prior to enlisting in 1914 he worked on the floor of Barn Mills and like many of his colleagues joined up with the 12^th Battalion.  He was a fine footballer and the local papers of the time have many references to his performances with Barn Swifts Football Team.  Following training at Clandeboye and then England he was embarked for France on 5th October 1915.  After less that two weeks on the front line in France, Samuel was killed and became the first man of the 36th Ulster Division to be killed on active service during the Great War.   

Following news of Samuel’s death a memorial service was held in Joymount Presbyterian Church, the Reverend Minford preached on the verse – “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends.”  Samuel was buried at Doullens Cemetery in France, under a wooden Celtic cross, on which was written “First man of the Division to give his life for his King and Country and for the honour of Ulster”.  Samuel’s brother Alexander was lost at Sea in 1917 on board H.M.S  “Princess Alberta”.

Samuel was a member of Joymount Presbyterian Church and appears on their memorial plaque as well as the Barn Mills Roll of Honour located in Carrickfergus Town Hall.  

#LestWeForget 

The Original Cross marking Rifleman Hill's resting place

Thanks to Nigel Henderson as always for these newspapers cuttings

 

Leading Seaman William McMillan

NAME; McMillan, William (reported locally as McMillen or McMullen)

RANK; Leading Seaman

SERV. NO; 2855C

UNIT/SERVICE; Royal Navy Reserve

REGIMENT; S.S “Henry R James”

BORN; Carrickfergus 30th November 1881

LIVED; Schomberg Street

ENLISTED; Unknown

FATE; Died at Sea 16^th July 1917 aged 39

CEMETERY; Body never recovered

CHURCH; Unknown

MEMORIAL; Portsmouth Naval Memorial – Panel 27

REMARKS; William was born in Carrickfergus on 30th November 1881, theson of Annie M McMillan of Schomberg Street, Carrickfergus and husband of Sarah McMillan - William was lost at sea on board S.S "Henry R James" on 16th July 1917 following a torpedo attack by German submarine UC-48 captained by Kurt Ramien.  The Henry R James was on a voyage from Bilbao via Brest to Middleborough with a large cargo of iron ore when it was sunk 10 miles east by north of Ile de Batz (Brittany) France.  The cargo of iron ore made the ship particularly heavy and when struck by the torpedo it would have sunk in a matter of a few minutes, in all 24 men were lost on board.  A report in the local paper after new of his death cited William was a “young and competent seaman, and bore a high character in his native town”.  This story is particularly tragic owing to his wife Sarah dying just 5 days previously leaving 4 young children to grow up without father or mother.  

S.S Henry R James.

Carrickfergus Men lost on board H.M.S Hawke

Early in the First World War, H.M.S 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 497 men who lost their lives on board 99 years ago, Carrickfergus today remembers SS/103005 - Stoker Andrew McAllister and SS/107927 - Stoker Marriott Robert Donald and SS/188608 Able Seaman William Johnston.

Andrew McAllister was born in Carrickfergus on September 1st 1887 and prior to enlisting was living in Patterson's Row, Woodburn with his wife Susan McAllister.  Andrew and Susan were members of Joymount Presbyterian Church. 

Marriott (Martie) Donald was born in Carrickfergus on 25th October 1886 and prior to the war was living in Red Brae Cottage.  He was the eldest son of Robert and Isabella Donald, brother to Sarah, John, Nellie and Mabel and husband to Bella Donald. 


Neither Andrew or Martie were ever recovered from the wreckage and their bodies were lost at sea.  Today they are remembered on Panel 5 of the Chatham Naval Memorial. 

Rifleman Robert Kirk Royal Irish Rifles KIA October 14th 1918

NAME; Kirk, Robert
RANK; Rifleman
SERV. NO; 6103
UNIT/SERVICE; 1^st Batt
REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles
BORN; Carrickfergus in 1900
LIVED; Davy’s Street, Carrickfergus
ENLISTED;
FATE; Killed in Action, October 14^th 1918
CEMETERY; Dadizeele New British Cemetery (Belgium) - II. A. 2.
CHURCH; St Nicholas, COI, Carrickfergus
MEMORIAL; St Nicholas, COI
REMARKS; Robert (Bobby) was the youngest son of Thomas and Margaret Kirk of Davy's Street, Carrickfergus and brother of Francis (killed in action 1st July 1916 at the Somme), Neillie, Jane and Lucy.  He was born in Carrickfergus in 1900 and left school at 14 to take a job in the local mill.  He enlisted with the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 1917 aged on 17.  By this stage of the war the true horrors and huge lose of life were apparent to all but men like Bobby continued to enlist to fight for King and Country.  Imagine the emotion of his parents as their second son went off to fight just a year after their other son had been killed in action.  After a short time training Bobby was sent to the Western Front were he served with distinction in France and Belgium.  He was killed in action, Belgium October 14th 1918 during the last major German offensive, less than 1 month before the end of the war.  He is buried in Dadizeele New British Cemetery in Belgium. 

Jake McAtamney at his great Uncle's Grave (Robert Kirk)

Dadizeele New British Cemetery is located 10 km east of Ypres - The village of Dadizeele was in German hands for much of the War until reached by the 36th (Ulster) Division, and taken by the 9th (Scottish) Division, on 29 September 1918. Severe fighting followed on 1 October, at Hill 41, a little south of the village.  Dadizeele New British Cemetery is in fact an extension of the communal cemetery. It was made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from other burial grounds and from the battlefields of 1918.  Bobby has originally been buried in Railway Crossing Cemetery, Dadizeele, on the Dadizeelehoek Klephoek road, 100 metres west of "Teofani" railway crossing Kirton Farm but was brought along with other men from the 36^th Division who fell on the 14^th October 1918. 

Rifleman James Manson Royal Irish Rifles

NAME; Manson, James

RANK; Rifleman

SERV. NO; 12/18430

UNIT/SERVICE; “A” Coy 12^th Battalion

REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles

BORN; Carrickfergus Circa 1899

LIVED; Unity Street, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED; Larne September 1914

FATE; Killed in Action, France, June 29^th 1916 aged 19

CEMETERY; HAMEL MILITARY CEMETERY, BEAUMONT-HAMEL (France) - I. C. 8

CHURCH; Carrickfergus Congregational 

Thank you to Nigel Anderson for this picture

REMARKS; James Manson was born in Carrickfergus in 1898 the son the William Hugh and Mary Manson (nee Jones) and brother to John, Hugh (also served), Jane, Isabella, Samuel and Thomas. – By 1901 the family were living in 24 Unity Street Carrickfergus, James was just an infant and his father was working as a labourer at the military ordinance store.  

When war broke out in 1914 he was living in Larne with his older brother Hugh,  he enlisted into the 12^th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in September 1914 along with many other men from Carrickfergus.  Following training at Clandeboye and in the South of England he was mobilised to France on 6^th October 1915.  He saw action across the front and was killed in action only 8 months later on 29^th June 1916, 2 days before the Battle of the Somme.  According to his death records he is listed as killed in action aged 19 however the 1901 census as of 31^st March 1901 lists James as 2 years old meaning in 1916 he would have been only 17 years old when he died. 

James is buried in Hamel Military Cemetery, Beaumont Hamel location I C 8 along with 32 other men from the Royal Irish Rifles.  He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British and Victory Medals.  

 

 

 

Thanks to Billy Rodgers & Carrickfergus Friends of 36th for this picture

 Info on Hamel Military Cemetery:

Beaumont village was captured by British troops in November, 1916, but Hamel was in British occupation from the summer of 1915, until the 27th March, 1918.

Hamel Military Cemetery was begun by fighting units and Field Ambulances in August 1915, and carried on until June 1917. A few further burials were made in Plot II, Row F, after the capture of the village in 1918. It was known at times by the names of "Brook Street Trench" and "White City". It was enlarged after the Armistice by the concentration of 48 graves from the immediate neighbourhood.

There are now nearly 500, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, nearly 80 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to four soldiers from the United Kingdom known or believed to be buried among them. A number of French and German military graves have been removed to other burial grounds.

The cemetery covers an area of 2,235 square metres, without including the public right of way on the North side and is enclosed by a rubble wall.

Hamel Military Cemetery