Private Thomas McHugh

[luxor]

While searching for burial details of my great, great grandmother, Ellen McElroy, in the Drumcong graveyard, County Leitrim, I was surprised to find a CWGC record for a soldier in that graveyard.

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casua ... ,%20THOMAS

He had lived in the townland next to the McElroys and was just a couple of years younger than my great grandmother, Margaret Alice.

[edited to remove census record - error]

I wonder what happened to him. There was a lot of terrorism in Ireland at that time. I thought, with a CWGC record, there would be lots of information but I can't find anything. I'm hoping that those here with knowledge of the military will know where to look. Thanks!

[Bertieone]

Hi luxor,

Soldiers Effects for Thomas, slightly different number, but same chap, 266802, died at home from Disease, Legatee, Father, William.

Ireland WW1 Deaths

[MaryA]

Good finds Bert, even the Grave Registration document on the CWGC site had 266802 and the third number changed by hand, so it would confirm the same person.
Service Medal and Award Rolls for Thomas McHugh in the Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)

[Bertieone]

His Medal roll confirms a previous number,



and this from Ireland WW1 deaths

[luxor]

Phew! Thanks a lot, Bert and Mary - I'm struggling to keep up! I couldn't find him on Irish Genealogy so I was going to ask where he died... but you've already answered that. So his body was transported back to Ireland; I assumed they wouldn't have gone to that trouble/expense at the height of the war.

I've discovered that he was actually born in the same year, in the same townland, as my great grandmother. My ggm and her sister moved to Liverpool and both were married to soldiers. The local Irish papers from the time are full of stories of mass meetings supporting Sinn Fein, with a lot of associated terrorism. It's remarkable how these people connected with the British Army.

[Blue70]

There was a lot of support from people from an Irish catholic or nationalist background for the British Army in WW1. The type of nationalism that eventually won the day and created the historical narrative for the Irish Free State and Republic of Ireland opposed Irish enlistment in the British Army.


Blue