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

Rifleman William James Clawson 12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles

NAME; Clawson, William James

RANK; Rifleman

SERV. NO; 18911

UNIT/SERVICE; 12^th Battalion

REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles

BORN; Carrickfergus abt. 1893

LIVED; Wilson's Place, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED; Belfast Town Hall, September 26^th 1914 aged 21

FATE; Survived the war

CEMETERY; N/A

CHURCH; Church of Ireland

MEMORIAL; N/A

REMARKS; William James Clawson was born in Carrickfergus 1893 the son of John and Henrietta Clawson and brother of Lizzie, Maggie and John.  In 1901 he is listed as a school boy living with his family in Irish Quarter West.  The entire family were members of St Nicholas Church of Ireland and William was an active member of Joymount Invincibles Orange Lodge 947.  Prior to the outbreak of war he was working as a labourer in the salt works and living with the family in Wilson’s Place, Carrickfergus.  When war broke out he enlisted into the 12^th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in September 1914.   

William's military service records notes that he had Brown hair, brown eyes, was 5 ft 6 inches tall with a tattoo of rose and flags on left forearm and in good physical shape.  He was posted to France October 1915 after training at Clandeboye and had 3 tours to the Western Front until 1918 (3/10/15 – 8/7/16. 18/12/16 – 13/6/17 and 23/3/18 – 21/4/18).  His service record has a number of infractions throughout his time service including being AWOL, resisting arrest following creating a disturbance while drunk (boys will be boys).  

He suffered a gun shot wound to the shoulder in France 7^th June 1917 during fighting at Messines Ridge  and was sent to hospital in Belfast and Whitehead between 27^th July 1917 and 13^th August 1917.  On his return to duty he was transferred to the 18^th Battalion.  Spent 3 months in Portobello Military Hospital Dublin between December 1917 and March 1918 with gonorrhoea.  Following this he was charged with desertion in June 1918, the war etc having clearly taken its toil on him.  In March 1933 while living in Davy’s Street he receives a letter from the war pensions department informing him that war gratuity is forfeited as a result of his desertion and this would not change.  His trail for desertion was dispensed of and eventually he was recognised as being fully discharged from the army.  The judgment against him seems very harsh especially given the difficult challenges these men had to confront, equally harsh would have been the lose of war pension that William should have been entitled to following 3 years on the front lines.  

At this stage I know nothing more about William's life except that he is another of the many forgotten men who fought for King and Country but were lucky enough to return home.  He, like all those who served, is a hero and should always be remembered.

#LestWeForget

Private William Killips - 25892 - Leicestershire Regiment

Remembering also today: Private William Killips - 25892 - 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. Born in Carrickfergus, killed in action 25th September 1916 in the Somme campaign.

William left Carrickfergus when he was a young teenager and moved to Stamford in Lincolnshire with his family. On the outbreak of war enlisted with the Leicestershire Regiment.

His body was never recovered, he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial on pier and face 2C and 3A.

#WeWillRememberThem

Thiepval Memorial

Private William Woods - 10th Battalion Highland Light Infantry

Remembering today: Private William Woods - 17089 - 10th Battalion Highland Light Infantry - Born in Carrickfergus, Killed in Action France 25th September 1915.

William was killed on the 1st day of the Battle of Loos in fighting East of Cambrin. The companies were to get out of the trenches simultaneously 40 minutes after zero and all lines move forward.
The first objective being Les Briques Trench, The 2nd
objective was the German 2nd line trenches, West of Haisnes.

At 5.50 AM 25th September 1915 all companies were in position and the gas cylinders were opened up. There was no breeze and the poisonous gasses hung mostly
over our own trenches causing a good deal of alarm to our troops
and many men suffered from its effects before going over the parapet.

06.30am
At this hour the attack was launched, all lines
rose out of their trenches simultaneously and advanced under a very heavy machine gun rifle and shell fire. The first line were practically wiped out before they had gone 20yards, the 2nd and 3rd lines lost heavily before they reached our own 1st line. By the time all the 3 first companies were over, the Battalion had lost 70% of the men who went over the top and about 85% of the officers.
06.45am ‘C’ company advanced about 1/4hour afterwards and also lost heavily.

The survivors of the10th Battalion got back to their trenches at about11.30am and were withdrawn from the Front line trenches. Loses had been horrendous. Among them was Private William Woods. His body was never recovered and he is Remembered on the Loos Memorial (Pictured) #LestWeForget

Loos Memorial