Irish World War Records published

maringo

http://imr.inflandersfields.be/search.html

I am trying to trace a relative killed at Flanders but didnt get any extra information there. I have come up with 4 possibilities but had already got that from other research. Is there anywhere that would have more comprehensive records of men who enlisted in Dublin? Advice appreciated.

johnny_doyle

what is his name?

Do you have any WW1 medals anywhere in the family? They would have his unit, rank and number.

maringo

Michael Cullen. He was aged 35 in 1911 married with children and living in Dublin, Baggot St. Lower (census).

Narrowed it down to 2 possibiles

Royal Irish Rifles 9658 died 17 05 1915 Merville
Royal Irish Regiment 16294 died 27 09 1918 Mouvres

I don't have any details/medals/photos of him - was just told over the years that he died at Flanders - the Somme - on a goods train that was blown up.

johnny_doyle

9658 is in a cemetery in Merville, a railway centre. Downside is his entry on CWGC and in his will, next of kin is Mrs M(argaretta) Cullen of 13 Henrietta St, his mother. Would expect the next of kin to be the wife.

He entered France on the 6th Nov 1914 So either already in the army or had previously served and was a reservist who was called up. With a range of children in the 1911 census all born in Dublin and he at 35, doubt that 9658 is your man.

maringo

Thanks for that. Thought as much as his address was Henrietta Street.

My Michael Cullen's wife was called Henrietta

I'll get on the search again with 16294 so and hope I can come up with something. Thanks again.

johnny_doyle

Soldiers Died in the Great War and Irelands Memorial Records list 16294 as died 27th Sept 1915 whereas CWGC has 27th Sept 1918. The latter appears right based on the medal index card (no 1914 Star, no 1914-15 Star).

Though born and enlisted Dublin, his residence is listed as Manchester. Any family lore re living in England?

maringo

Absolutely nothing about Manchester ever spoken about. Was told he worked for Baggot St. Convent driving the horse carriage. My aunt RIP who I spoke to about him would only have been young (aged 1 in 1911 she was the youngest of the 6 children he had at the time of the census) so I suppose too much wasn't said in those times as it wasn't deemed heroic to serve or die for the British Empire especially with the political situation in Dublin at the time. Thanks again. Next time I'm in London I'll visit the Imperial War Museum and maybe find something.

johnny_doyle

Henrietta Finnegan?

There should be a book re Dublin War Dead at the archives in Pearse St. I've used this a couple of times but can't remember if this gives the same info as Soldiers Died and Ireland's War Memorial. If there is access to newspaper archives, this would possibly give a write up.

There are 12 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment soldiers buried in the cemetery listed as died 27th Sept 1918. Plus others in other cemeteries for the same date. The battalion war diary, if available, might yield some information about the death of this group.

Not sure if the Imperial War Museum would yield any information but always worth a visit.

maringo

Yes. Henrietta Finnegan is the name. Is that the next of kin you have discovered for 16294? If so that must be the right Michael Cullen.

Thanks for that advice - will get that book and check the library and maybe the national library newspapers. Much obliged for all your help and information. I did look on the Irish Times archive some time ago as I was told they covered the dead of WW1 but didn't come up with anything at the time.

Santa Cruz

maringo wrote: »

Absolutely nothing about Manchester ever spoken about. Was told he worked for Baggot St. Convent driving the horse carriage. My aunt RIP who I spoke to about him would only have been young (aged 1 in 1911 she was the youngest of the 6 children he had at the time of the census) so I suppose too much wasn't said in those times as it wasn't deemed heroic to serve or die for the British Empire especially with the political situation in Dublin at the time. Thanks again. Next time I'm in London I'll visit the Imperial War Museum and maybe find something.

The widow may have been entitled to a military pension and there used to be a Military Pensions office in Dublin.
Email the British embassy Dublin. They may be able to point you in the right direction

johnny_doyle

maringo wrote: »

Yes. Henrietta Finnegan is the name. Is that the next of kin you have discovered for 16294? If so that must be the right Michael Cullen.

Thanks for that advice - will get that book and check the library and maybe the national library newspapers. Much obliged for all your help and information. I did look on the Irish Times archive some time ago as I was told they covered the dead of WW1 but didn't come up with anything at the time.

delving around the Church Records to see if I could find a marriage entry for Michael or a baptism record for one of the children that might have listed him as a soldier previously. Baptisms for the 2 older children found; no occupation info for Michael. They show the parish as St Andrew and there is a Service Record for a Michael Cullen from St Andrew in Dublin but it's not your Michael unfortunately.

maringo

Got my mother's baptismal cert (dob 1914 the youngest in the family) from Westland Row church previously - she was not on the official register of births in Irish Life centre but the church had a baptismal record. He was listed as a general labourer in 1911 census so had obviously lost his job as a hackney driver (1901 census). The archives in Kew came up with a Michael Cullen R.D.Fus RIR Regt Pte. Regtl. No. 5/31075 16294.
In Victory heading it says a/101 Roll B3 Page 46 British -11- Page -
I'll chase this up.

Thanks for the help.

johnny_doyle

that's the Medal Index Card entry I can see on Ancestry. Indicates he was in 5th Battalion RDF before moving onto 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment. The original medal rolls tend to have a little more info re unit but won't have any family info.

At the moment, he remains the best candidate for your hunt. If there was anyway that you could find anyone in the family with his medals (British War Medal and Victory Medal) it would be potentially the surest way to get an absolute confirmation given that there doesn't appear to be a Service Record available.

Another possibility, one I've no experience of yet, is the pensions cards acquired by the Western Front Association. There may be something re a pension for widow and children but there is a charge for this and no guarantee that there would be anything.

maringo

Many thanks for deciphering that and for the links to pension. Will check that out. No problem paying for the info. Kew records also had a small charge for the pdf. No medals unfortunately but I'll check around the wider family.

maringo

Have ordered Orange, Green and Khaki: Story of the Irish Regiments in the Great War, 1914-18 (Paperback) (author) Tom Johnstone

Came across the below book available to download free from the link. Seems interesting from a quick glance .

Irish Regiments in the Great War: Discipline and Morale (2003) Free to download

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=204226

maringo

Battle of the Somme part 2 published by the Michelin Company in memory of their employees who perished in WW1 pdf



https://ia600309.us.archive.org/16/items/thesomme02cler/thesomme02cler.pdf