Sjt. Joe Breheney MM

[Peter Bennett]

Joe Breheney is a unsung hero from a Dewsbury family who lost three men in the war. Below is his CWGC record and the feature on him from the book "The Men of Our Lady & St. Paulinus"

Is there any way I can find out the engagements where he was awarded the Military Medal and his final battle where he lost his arm.

Thank you

Peter

Name: BREHENEY

Initials: J

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Serjeant

Regiment/Service: King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

Unit Text: 2nd Bn

Date of Death: 31/10/1918

Service No: 617

Awards: M M

Additional information: Son of the late Mrs. Mary Breheney. Born at Dewsbury.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: I. "U." 143.

Cemetery: DEWSBURY CEMETERY

BREHENEY, Joseph (Joe)

The son of Hugh and Mary Breheney (nee Scally ) of Knowles Yard, off Boothroyd Lane, Joe Breheney was one of Dewsbury’s many unsung heroes. In June 1917 the local press stated, “it would be interesting to know how many Military Medals Dewsbury possesses, and [those which], as yet remained undiscovered.” Its reporter had just that week found out that Joe had been awarded the Military Medal for bravery at Beaumont Hamel about six months previously. In the interview with the journalist he “smiled when he recalled the fact that someone said in Dewsbury at the time that it was the Victoria Cross he had got.” That said, his great pal, the VC holder, Serjeant John Willie Ormsby stated that in his opinion “he [breheney] deserved the VC.”

Joseph Breheney was born on 11th September, 1892, and baptised in the Church of Our Lady and St. Paulinus on 29th September that same year by Father Patrick Mulcahy, the Parish priest; the godparents were Joseph Whitehead and Mary Ann Quinn. The address of the family is simply noted as being ‘of Boothroyd’.

Joe Breheney had joined the Special Reserve on May 19th 1910 for seven years, and on the outbreak of war he joined his regiment, and went to France on September 1st 1914. A “bosom pal” of John Willie Ormsby, the two sergeants were in the same battalion of the KOYLI, and remained together until Joe’s discharge on 14th June 1917 when he completed his seven years.

Disillusioned with life outside of the Army, he received a telegram to re-enlist in July 1917, and found himself back at the Front within a couple of weeks. It was as a result of heavy fighting that he was wounded, ultimately losing his left arm. From a French hospital his mother received a letter from a nurse:-

“Dear Madam, - Your son has asked me to write and let you know he is in hospital 36 C.C.S. He was severely wounded in the arm and I regret to say he had to lose it (the left arm). He has been easier since, and is slowly mending. He does not wish you to worry, as in about a week’s time he will probably go down to the base and possibly to England. If you write by return he will probably receive it before leaving.”

This was not his first stay in hospital, but it was the most serious, and the one that would see him removed from active service. He had previously received a wound to the head that caused him to be confined to a hospital bed for a month. Apart from that, and a couple of ‘leaves’ at home he had been engaged in intense fighting from the onset of the conflict. He was at the battle of the Marne. Like others he wrote to the local press about life at the Front:-

“I am expecting my furlough any time now. I am waiting patiently and by the help of God my chance will come soon. We had it hot on Sunday. The Germans tried to blow our trenches up, but they failed in the attempt and we gave them something to go on with. A Batley lad whom I played football against at home got killed. I am getting some shells made into coalscuttles ready for when I come on furlough – a Belgian and a French ’75, which has given the Germans some stick. J. Nocton is in the same brigade as me; I was talking to him the other day. I think it is about time some of us who have been out here so long were sent home and some of the ‘know-alls’ at home sent to take our places. It would break the hearts of some of them.”

A former Dewsbury Celtic player, Joe Breheney had been a part of the 1913–14 team that won the Heavy Woollen District Intermediate League Cup. Joe was to die at home in Dewsbury of complications caused by influenza on 31st October 1918 at the age of twenty-six. His brother James (38) and father Hugh Breheney (69) died of the same illness during the same week on 29th October and 31st October, respectively, and were buried at Dewsbury on 2nd November, 1918. Joe’s funeral took place on 4th November, 1918.

[DMannus]

Hello

Records show date of wounding as 12/9/17 in Belgium - can't make out the area name 'neuport' or similar..

hope this helps

David

Gazette entry re MM. dated 24/04/17. Believe there was about a six month delay from the action to posting.

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/300...upplements/3945

[Roger Thompson]

Hi there Peter,

His papers are in the pensions section.

Cheers Roger.

[Stebie9173]

The place is Nieuport in English (the very, very left hand side of the Western Front before you get very wet) - Nieuwpoort in Flemish.

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuwpoort,_Belgium

There are various references to Nieuport on the Forum mainly to the German Operation Strandfest in July 1917 (known as the Battle of the Dunes to the British)

I would actually place the M.M. award at the battles at the Ancre (Miraumont, etc.) around February 1917, if I had to guess.

Steve.

[Peter Bennett]

Thanks very much to all who replied with this wealth of information.

What a pity Joe did not live to see the Armistice for which he gave so much.

Peter