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BBC History World War One site
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South Belfast Friends of the Somme Association

YOUR RESPONSE

Brian Jackie Adams - June '08
Hi folks - names' Brian Adams and I am trying to find information on my grandfather, THOMAS ADAMS (of Shuttle Hill, Killowen, Coleraine, Co.Derry and 36 Willow Drive, Coleraine - also in Helens Bay Home for awhile.).
He was in the old 36th(ulster)div with the British Armies in France during WWl. His medals, 3 or 4, were lost years ago and if I knew what they were I would love to get replacements. I have his old (torn) certificate to say he was award-ed for gallantry at Dadizeele. His army No. is 43302. The certificate was signed by Maj.Gen. Coffin. After the war he was a docker at Coleraine harbour till retirement.
His son Thomas(jnr), my dad, was a coachpainter at Charlie Hamils Coleraine and TBF Thompson Garvagh till retirement. My dad was also in either the Home Gard or Territorials here in Coleraine during WWll. Ther old meeting or training place was an old house which is now part of Brookgreene OAP bungalow site and rer of Union St Rathlin fold OAP apartments. !
There used to be an old branch line went past the house toward she harbour, crossing an old iron bridge which went over the millburn road at the Rose gardens Coleraine.
I am also trying to trace my relatives:- (a) Daisy and Violet Hillis of 25 Parkgate Gdns. Connswater, Belfast. (b) Meta TURNER and family, (Robert and Lillian, Tom and family, Lawrence and family, Maureen, Hilda and family, Violet and family, Pamla and family). Turners used to live at Castlereagh Road, East Bread Street.. Meta TURNER's husband Tommy (deceased) used to be the caretaker at Roselawn Cemetery, Belfast. Also Ruby and John McFarland (ex-Guinnes rep)and son Robert, Bangor, N.Ireland. Uncle Herbie Hillis (deceased) (married Mini(deceased) had two daughters, Jean and Diane lived at Sunnylands Carrickfergus.)ex-RAF and ex-Shipyard and ex-NIR platform staff. Daisy, Violt and Meta or Ruby Hillis ex-Belfast Ropeworks.
There was an ADAMS on the Bounty Mutiny - but is he related? There was a Bodkin ADAMS from Mountsandle Coleraine, a doctor who supposedly killed lots of patints - but is he related? ADAMS' were potters and bakers in the UK mainland - but are they related?
I am not sure where to go or which ADAMS line to follow when I get the name ADAMS on a website. I can only go back as far as my grandpa and haven't seen relatives in over 12-14 years as they all live/lived in Belfast, Bangor and UK mainland.
Any and all advice or help would be warmly appreciated. I have just started this super hobby of geneology and it is surprising what turns up sometimes.

Eva bowden wade - Feb '08
I'm trying to frind a james smyth private no 7991 irish royal fusiliers 11th battalion he died in 1917 can anyone help thanks

Geraldine Ann Jackson - Dec '07
My Grandfather Christy from Co. Offaly served at Dardanell, and the Somme 1916, with the Royal Irish Rifles 25th Brigade 8th Division. Has anyone got any photograph's? I have a photo taken after the War of the Survivors from Co Offaly and Tipperary, only 9 Brave men in the photo - one is my Grandfather, LEST WE FORGET. I will always remember. God Bless Those Brave Men.

Ryan Hill - Apr '07
This is a question for who ever can answer it for us.
When did Gallahers first start producing Park Drive Tobacco?
Information needed for a school Project.

John Magee - Apr '07
Dear Marie, thanks for the information on the 1912 photo of the Royal Irish Fusiliers. When officers are mentioned it makes research easier, hence the movements of regiments. Your photo should be of interest so try and post it. The Royal Irish Regiment was another individual regiment. The RIF and the RIR amongst others were disbanded after partition in 1922.

John Magee - Apr '07
Eamonn,
many thanks for the advice on replacement medals. I will make an application after the Easter holiday.
I recently found a picture on the web of a group of WW1 RIR soldiers at rest somewhere in France. One of the soldiers came from the Waterford area. I could post this photo on this site, 'if I knew how!
Regards
John

Eamonn Byrne BEM - Feb '07
John Magee and felix Grant. You can obtail duplicate medals for your loved ones by trlephoning the following number: Worcestershire Medal Services 01527 835375

David May - Feb '07
My grandfather William James Cassidy fought with the Royal Irish Fusiliers in Mesopotamia circa 1918, against (among others) Arabs in and around Baghdad. Family legend also places him in France during the war. (He was born in 1900). Any suggestions where I could trace his military movements?

Marie Toner Moore - Feb '07
Is the regiment referred to in various pieces of correspondance as the Royal Irish regiment the same as the Royal Irish Fusiliers? If so I have a group picture taken , I think, outside Geough Barracks Armagh about 1912. The names of various officers and men are noted at the bottom of the print. Maybe some of the men whose families remember them would be interested is seeing same. As I said, my grandfather was fond of having his photo taken and my grandmother, who thought he was 'dead handsome', (which he was) liked to display his pictures on our kitchen walls. Daniel was gym instructer to the regiment and when the war ended he was said to have a bright future ahead of him, however this was not to be and although I was told he applied to all the big schools etc he never worked again after 32 years in the army. He died in 1926 from T.B..and my granny once told me she had to pawn his 'great coat' which she had been using as a blanket in order to feed his still young family!
So much for a world fit for heroes.

Josey Kee - Nov '06
Would any one know if there is a photograph of the Royal Inniskillings Fusiliers 9th Battalion from 1914 to 1920 My uncle might have been in it if so could you direct me to books , archives or web sites.

Gary Cassidy (Outback Australia) - Nov '06
For John Cassidy - Aug 06.

Hi John. I can provide the following details for you.

43090 PTE Daniel Cassidy 8th BN. Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Died of Wounds 08 June 1917.
Formerly 4684 Connaught Rangers.
Born. Whitehouse, Co. Antrim.
Enlisted at Belfast
Residence on enlistment = Whitehouse.
(Details from Soldiers Died in the Great War.)

Not sure where you can find photos of him. Have you tried leaving your details on GENUKI.

I am an avid collector of Medals & Militaria named to surname "Cassidy".

Felix Grant - Oct '06
My Grandfather William Lillis fought with the Royal Irish Regiment on the Somme (16th Irish Division). If anybody has any information or pictures, like John Mc Gee, I would love to hear from you. My Grandfathers medals have also been lost.

Patrick Finnerty - Oct '06
Were photos taken and kept of joining soilders? I'd like to know as I had two great great uncles who served in the Connaught rangers, both were killed, so it would be great if I could add photos to what records I already have.

John Cassidy - Aug '06
Does anyone know where I can find photographs of Connaught Rangers who joined in Belfast before going to The Great War as my Fathers Uncle Daniel Cassidy was one who joined but we don't have any photos of him. Any ideas of where to look or where else to search as I have tried Connaught Rangers site but they are still being built. The National Archives only has the Medal Record of him and the Royal Irish Fusiliers are the ones who informed me that he was with the Connaught Rangers before he was sent to aid the R.I.F.s at the battle of Messines on the 6th/7th June 1917 before he died of his wounds on the 8th June 1917. Having been on every war site including all the Irish WW1 sites and still I am looking for his Date of Birth and photographs of him. Any help Please.
Thank You
John

Lorraine Morrow - Aug '06
My grandfather - Nevin Morrow had a brother who died in the great war. He is mentioned in a book called 'Portrush Heroes 1914 - 1918 by Robert Thompson. Can anyone help me as to where to buy a copy?

Marie Moore - June '06
My grandfather, Daniel Mc Keown, born in Garvah County Derry served in the Boer War, then the Great War at Galipoli. He was with the Royal Irish fusiliers. Recently I looked for him in the official war office archive and sure enough there he was. It was a curiously moving moment for me even though I am a confirmed pacifist. I know nothing about the R.I.F at Galipoli and wonder if there is any literature I could consult. It is surely good to remember that Irishmen, and Ulster men at that, fought in other terrible places as well as the Somme which we rightly remember this year. I have photos of grandfather McKeown taken not only in the home barracks of Armagh but also in South Africa, seems he liked the look of himself in uniform. My Grandmother, Mary (Minnie) Kane from Whitehouse Co Antrim and he, were first cousins and I seem to remember that Daniel had sister(s) in the Portstewart area (Shiels). I wonder if anyone else shall ever see his name in that WW1 archieve?

John Magee - May '06
Cathal and Christoper, many thanks for these great ideas for research. I'll keep you posted if I come across any new sources of information.
(I was back home recently and saw the 8 vol of the 49,000 Irish WW1 dead in St Columb's Catherdal Derry, thanks to a very helpful curator. I saw my great uncle KIA 1916 listed there with basic information.) John.

Cathal Blair - May '06
John, you could try looking for, Campaigns and History of the Royal Irish Regiment, by Brig. General S. Geoghegan, Blackwood, Edinburgh, 1927. Republished by Schull Books, Cork, 2001. It is quite expensive, however their maybe a copy in a major library in Dublin or Belfast.
There is not much information on the pre1922 R Irish Regiment in comparison to the Inniskillings, Connaugnts or Dublin.
If I come across anything in my travels I will reply on this page.
Regards
Cathal

Christopher Gallagher - May '06
John try the somme centre in newtownards and there is also the r.i.r in belfast city centre. there is also a place in limavady. try the British legion in spencer road or look at their website online. i am also looking for my grandfathers past footsteps. he survived the war aswell. so its harder.... well keep in touch. I'll help as much as i can. they would have been called the derrys i think and he would have been at finner camp in donegal.

John Magee - April '06
Does anyone have any knowledge of where I could locate photographs or histories of the Royal Irish Regiment 1915 - 1919?
My grandfather Private James McGee (No.3546) and his brothers (Paddy and Tom all) from Limavady joined in 1915 and saw action in Flanders, Dardanelles and the Holy Land with the 6th and 1st Brigades. All returned home and lived into their late 90's.
There was a picture of James in uniform that my uncle remembered as a child in the 1930s but that has been long ago lost. (My grandfather's service medals which were of sentimental were stolen in a burglary in Ardgarvan a few years back and were not recovered.) It would be great if someone can direct me to books, archives or websites containing pre 1921 Royal Irish Regiment photos or histories.
Thanks in advance.
John Magee