Extra Information On Servicemen
Austin Gundry Simmonds
Austin Gundry Simmonds was born on January 6th 1898 in Yatton.Somerset. He
applied for a commission on the 24th November 1916.He hoped to be
placed with the Royal Field Artillery. His permanent address was The Hill, Congresbury, Somerset. His occupation was a Student,
he previously went to Sidcot School and was serving with the Artists Rifles Officer Training Corps with the rank of Cadet.
On the 6th May 1917 he was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant from an Officer Cadet unit to the Special Reserve
and at some stage came to the 5th A Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery Athlone Barracks there after. Austins
brother Lionel Gundry Simmonds resided in Canada before the war and was killed in France in 1916 aged 23.
William Mylrea Livsey
William Mylrea Livsey was born on 14th December 1889.in Manchester He applied
for a commission on the 9th September 1916.His private home address was closed during his absence on service. His
address given was his business address , Guardian?? Ltd ,17 Cross St, Manchester. He had previously served in the 6th
Battalion Manchester Regiment Territorial Force from1906 to 1912 with the rank of Private. He left due to pressure of his
Profession. William was attached to the 4th Cavalry Brigade Headquarters
with the British Expeditionary Force on 18th November 1914 with the Rank of Private. On the 6th May
1917 he was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant from an Officer Cadet unit to the Special Reserve and at some stage came
to the 5th A Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery Athlone Barracks there after.
Both Austin Gundry Simmonds and William
Mylrea Livsey drowned accidentally in Lough Ree on the 2nd June 1917. They where missing for fifteen and sixteen
days respectively. There was a reward of £5 to find there individual bodies. An inquest was held at 12:30pm 18th
June by Mr J Gaynor , the Local Coroner. Their funeral took place on the 19th June 1917 at 2:30pm in Cornamagh
Cemetery.
Hugh Victor Moore
Hugh Victor Moore was born on 24th June 1887 in Killisherdoney, Co Cavan. His
father was James Moore who resided at 10 Auburn Villas, Athlone. James Moore was an Organiser for the Irish Agricultural Organisation
Society. He applied for a commission to the Special Reserve on 17th May 1916 to hopefully the 4th Battalion
Connaught Rangers. His address was 58a Rathmines Road, Dublin. His schooling was at the Wesley College Dublin, and his occupation
was a Civil Servant. His previous Military experience was with the Black Watch from 12th March 1909 to 12 March
1916 serving 11 months in France with the British Expeditionary Force with the rank of Corporal regimental no 473. He was
then with the Dublin Unit Officer Training Corps from 18th April 1916, with the rank of Cadet. Until 1st
July 1916 when he was commission to acting 2nd Lieutenant He qualified
in semaphore. He was 5ft 103/4 inches, with a scar on his left eyebrow. He died on 21st March 1918 at St Emilie,
France. He was serving with the 48th Trench Mortar Battery
Patrick Bernard Rohan
Patrick Bernard Rohan attested to Irish Guards on 2nd May 1900.In Dublin aged
19 ½. He was born in December 1880 at Kilcreiesh, Lowerigh, County Galway. He was a Hardware assistant by trade and had served
4 years as an apprentice with a Mr Dowdall in Mullingar Co Westmeath.
He was 5ft 8¾ inches tall and had hazel eyes
and black hair. He was Roman Catholic.
He married in London on the 2nd
March 1908 to Gertrude Amy King .
His son was born in Caterham in 1909 and was called Patrick Alfred, by which time he was
a Colour Sergeant. He passed his 3rd class certificate of education
in April 1900, and his 2nd Class in March 1902. He received a certificate from the school of Musketry in Hythe
4th September 1906.
He was promoted to Corporal in August 1901 and Sergeant in August 1903. He reengaged to
serve for 21years in February 1910. He was promoted to Company Quartermaster
Sergeant in November 1913. He served at Home (England, Scotland, Ireland) from the time he enlisted to the outbreak of WW1,
he left for France on the 12th August 1914 with the British Expeditionary Force until the 4th January
1915, when he was given a commision to 2nd Lieutenant with the Kings OwnYorkshire Light Infantry. He was killed
in Action in St Eloi France on 16th March 1915. His parents where Kieran and Mary Rohan who resided in Ballinahone
Athlone.
Frank Joynt Milligan
Frank Joynt Milligan served in the Royal Flying Corps. He was stationed in Farnborough,
Denham and Oxford before being joining 80 Squaron in December 1917. He was killed in action 13th March 1918 in
France. He is mentioned on the War Memorial of St Marys, Church of Ireland, Donnybrook, Dublin.
On the 1911 census, he is living in Church st, Athlone aged 12, with his Parents, and 2 brothers and 2
sisters.
He possibly has a connection to Burgess Stores, as his parents are later listed as living in Oldcourt,
Athlone, which seem's previously to be the residence of Thomas Burgess and which is presently on
the site of the red and white Telephone Tower, and on the Census his Father's occupation was a Draper, and other present
where Milliners, Salesmen etc.
George Lushington Colomb
George Lushington Colomb
served in the Royal Flying Corps and originally served with the 1/4th City of London Battlion, The London Regiment (Royal
Fusiliers) Territorial Force. He recived a Distinguished Conduct Medal for conspicuous gallantry on 27th April 1915, near
Ypres. He rescued under very heavy rifle and shell fire, a wounded man who was lying about fifty yards away and rendered first
aid and carried him back to cover, even though he himself was wounded carrying this out.
His mother was Mrs Maud Colomb, of Cam House, Campden Hill, London. He was stationed in
Reading in June 1916. He was appointed a Flying Officer on 29th September and given the rank of Temporary Lieutenant
on 18th October 1916. He was killed in action 22 November 1916.
Harold William McIvor Jennings
Harold William McIvor Jennings was born on 15th August 1887 in New Plymouth,New Zealand. His father was W T Jennings Member of Parliment for Taumarunui, New Zealand.
Harold originally attested to the Territorial Force of the London Scottish in November 1914. He had two years with the Wellington
College Cadets, in New Zealand. He living in Fulham road , London at this point. After a month he appiled for a commision
and was placed with the Royal Field Artilleryas a Temporary 2nd Lieutenant..
Harold made his will in August 1915 when he was with the 108th Brigade, Royal
Field Artillery, in Mirden barracks, Deepcut, Hampshire. On the 28th September 1915 Harold recived three Gun shot
wounds in Vermilles in France. His personal effects where stolen in transit in France and he had to apply for new items. He became ill in October 1915 and eventually
was sent to the Military Hospital in Athlone where he died on the 28th February 1916 of Endocarditis Ulcerative.
Harolds father recived £126.16.6 from Army funds after his death. Harolds two
brothers where both in WW1 as well,with the New Zealand
Cont
Expedtionary Force Private Edgar McIvor Jennings was killed in Action on August 3rd
in Gallipoli,1915, his other brother Sergeant Alfred Jennings suffered from shell shock after 10 weeks at Gallipoli, he later
recived a commision with the Northumberland Fuisilers and was awarded the Military Cross.in 1917.
Albert Patterson
Albert Patterson was a Sergeant in the Leinster
Regiment ,No 7734. He left for France on 19th December 1914 and was killed in action.
William Patterson
William Patterson was a Private with the (Yorkshire) West Riding Regiment. He was No 203824.
William Brazil
William Brazil was a Sergeant in the Leinster
Regiment. He served in the Balkans and was killed in action on 4th September 1918.He was No 816
Christopher Brazil
Christopher Brazil was a Private in the Connaught
Rangers No 5578 and also in the Royal Inniskilling Fuisilers. No 43222
Corneilius Barlow
Corneilius Barlow was a Private in the Leinster Regiment. He was No 5352.
Thomas Barlow
Thomas Barlow served with the 1st Battlion Connaught Ranger as a Private then then served with the 6th Battlion Connaught Rangers. No 6608.
John Patrick Quinn
John Patrick Quinn was born to Martin Quinn, a Royal Irish Constabluary Constable, and
Harriet Quinn, in the the parish of St Peters Athlone on August 18th 1885. He had two brothers George born 1887 in County Longford, and Michael born in
Co Westmeath in 1888. On the 1901 Irish Census the family where in Boyle, Co Roscommon.
John Patrick was educated in the Christian Brothers Athlone,
Presentation College Carrick on Shannon, and B Hughes C.S. Academy.
On 13th March 1916 in Athlone Barracks, John Patrick Quinn enlisted for a Short
service career for the duration of World War One, to a Pals Battlion , of the Royal Dublin Fuisilers. (A Pals Battlion was
one where friends, workmates etc could join the army together ), so possibly other lads from Athlone joined with him. He was
5ft 8 inches tall. And weighed 164 pounds.
His address at this time was Laburnum Cottage, Baylough, Athlone. He age was 30 and 6
months when he enlisted. His trade was a 1st Class Clerk in the General Post Office.
John Patrick was appointed to the 10th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers. with
the rank of Private. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 11th April 1916, and transferred to the 11th
Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers on 29th July 1916. He was promoted
to Corporal on 9th August 1916. And Lance sergeant on the 7th
September 1916.
John Patrick applied for a temporary commission in the regular army on 3rd January 1917,
he was transferred to the 7th Royal Dublin Fusiliers Cadet Battalion, Moore Park.. He was discharged as a Cadet
on 24th April 1917 and appointed with a temporary commission to the 11th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers
on 25 April 1917. At some stage after this John Patrick went serve in India. He arrived in England from India on 28th January 1920 for demobilization and contracted Pneumonia. He made his way home to Athlone
but died on 6th February 1920
John Patrick's will was written out on 18th May 1917,his mother was the sole
executor . John Patricks father died six weeks after his son, on the cross it is remarked he was grief stricken.
Fair and Murtagh Solicitors who are still around today in Athlone, wrote to the Secretary
of the War Office in London on 7th May 1920 for a recommendation from
the War Office to the Commissioners of the Inland Revenue for the remission of death duties under the Killed in War act 1914.
The probate of the will was administered on 11th June 1920 in Athlone.
Christopher OBrien
Christopher OBrien, 7195 Connaught Rangers started WW1 with the rank
of Lance Sergeant, which would have been Corporal; this probably indicates he was already a serving soldier. He left for France
on the 26th September 1914.
He received a Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1916 for conspicuous gallantry, Corporal OBrien and a Private
Hannon went out twice to find and repair breaks in the wires under heavy shell fire at a time when communication was of great
importance.
At the end of the War his rank was acting Warrant Officer Class 2, which would have been a Company Sergeant
Major. He died in 1951 aged 69, so would have been born around 1881/2.
Thomas McCann
Thomas McCann is buried with the Gallagher Family in Cornamagh, who where Caretakers of the Father Matthew
Hall in Athlone which hosted concerts at the turn on the 1900s by Count John McCormack, and was the Athlone Town Library.
I do not know of a connection of Thomas McCann to the family unless his wife was a Gallagher.
Thomas McCann enlisted in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers on the 12 June 1901 in Dublin for 7 years with the Colours
and 5 years in the Reserve, he was aged 21 and was 5ft 6 ½ and weighed 150 lbs and had brown eyes and black hair and was Roman
Catholic, his army number was 7506. He was in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Depot until 1st February 1902, when he joined the
1st Battalion R.D.F. He served in the Boer War before going the Malta then Egypt twice and India. He passed a siege ballooning
course in Malta on 8th March 1904 and his third class certificate of education on 14th November 1905.He was permitted to extend
his service to complete 12 years on the 13th January 1909. Thomas was discharged on the 11th June 1913 in Gosport, England,
with the rank of Private, his trade was given as Labourer and his special qualifications for civil life was working as a Groom
as he was able to ride and drive. He intended residence on discharge was Willbrook, Rathfarnham, Dublin.
Just over a year later the First World War began and Thomas McCann would have been recalled to serve in the
Army again. He served with the 1st Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers. A letter written on the 23rd November 1916 had an address
by Thomas to his sister it was, Corporal T. McCann, No 7506, Y Coy, First Reg, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 86th Brigade, 29th
Division, British Ex. Forces. His sister name was Mrs L Fulcher? and she resided at 15, Chatham Street, Dublin.
He attained the rank of Sergeant and married in Galway in on 22nd June 1917 to Margaret Mary McCann, her address
was Everard, Taylors Hill, Galway. Thomas McCann died in the 2nd Birmingham War Memorial Hospital, Northfield, England on
24th August 1917 aged 33 of a wound to his neck and an aneurysm of an artery. He had only been married for two months.
John Bannon (Buried Mount Temple Old Cemetery)
John Bannon enlisted for Short Service with the Army for the duration of the WW1. He enlisted in Hamilton
in Scotland on 21st November 1914. His address at the time was 76, Ashton Terrace, Motherwell, Scotland and he was aged 34.
He was 5ft 8 ½, and had blue eyes and dark hair. His next of kin was his father Michael Bannon who lived in Creggin, Athlone.
John Bannons occupation was a Car Driver and his home address was Creggin in Athlone. He was posted to the 6th Battalion Royal
Irish Rifles on 24th November 1914, Regimental No 1862.
It appears he was appointed Lance Corporal in April 1915, but was back as a Rifleman by August 1915 during
this time he was part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force from 10th July 1915 to 22nd August 1915. He then served in
France from 28th March 1916 to 6th July 1916. On the 1st July 1916 in La Boiselle, France, John Bannon was severely injured
probably by shrapnel, in his back, he also suffered for a time from pleurisy of the lung and acute cystitis. This resulting
wound caused Spinal Paraplegia, and his total incapacity. He was in Whitworth Hospital in Brunswick St in Dublin where he
was to remain for an indefinite period.
He was discharged from the Army on 22nd November 1916 to a pension of 25 shillings a day after service of
2 years and 1 day.
John Bannon died in May 1919, he was buried in Mount Temple Churchyard, Co Westmeath.
Frank Mallarney (Buried Mount Temple Old Cemetery)
Frank Mallarney served with the Prince of Wales, Leinster Regiment. His Regimental No was 5315, and he was
born in Tully in Co Westmeath. He enlisted in Athlone and his residence was in Athlone. He died in August 1917, and is buried
in Mount Temple Churchyard, Co Westmeath.
John Roper
Private John Roper 84550 formerly Royal Army Service Corps, Joined the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). He recived
the Distinguished Conduct Medal for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Although wounded he remained at his
gun throughout an attack. When it was temporarily put out of action by shell fire, he assisted the fire of another gun and
was again slighty wounded, and his comrade severley wounded . After dressing the other man's wound's he brought him in and
returned alone to his gun, and begged to be allowed to stay, though told to withdraw. Twice he volunteered to carry badly
wounded men to the dressing station under fire.
John Roper was killed in action on 20th December 1917.
