Stafford Macartney look up

[Desmond7]

Can't get Nat Arc's MICs to work at present.

Anyone with access to another prog could do a swift look up for a Stafford Macartney/McCartney

Sorry no number - seeking a link to service in Mesopotamia 1917 era.

Newspaper gives surname as Macartney but local Church war rolls of honour give the following. I think I can rule out the Canadian - unsure about the RN man - what would he be doing in Mespot?

However, Stafford may be my man's 'middle' name

McCartney

Stafford

Ballymena

Stoker

R.N.

McCartney

Stafford

Canada

Private

52nd Can.

Wounded

[Stebie9173]

Only one Stafford McCartney - No 54468 Highland Light Infantry - BWM only. No other details.

Steve.

[rksimpson]

Hi

Is this a posibility - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=1

only got BWM and no date of entry?

No result for Mac

There are a few H S and 1 R S as well

regards

Robert

[Desmond7]

Letter to the Editor

A call from Mesopotamia

Dear Editor - There are a good many of the boys out here from the north of Ireland, and we were wondering if you could spare a few lines in one of your columns, asking the people of Ballymena if there is any lady or gentleman that has got, or could get a melodeon or mouth organ for us.

It certainly would be highly appreciated in this beautiful country of sunshine, sandflies and mosquitoes.

Now a few words about the world renowned sandflies; give honour where honour is due, for the boys idolise them absolutely, and I must spell the word FLIES with capitals.

It’s best to leave them alone - but they won’t let you alone and when they make a frontal attack on you it’s worse than a shower of Turks charging a lone commissary wagon for a little chow-chow!

Then you parade in front of the medical adviser and tell him that some poisonous reptile stung you; then he takes your temperature, pulse, heart-beat, asks you if you are regular and whether you are eating regular. You tell him ‘Yes’.

After that, you trot on down to the dispensary where you see the native doc from Bombay with a smile all over his face and half way down his back with a big glass of sparkling medicine awaiting you. He tells you it is ‘Whiskey-Ka-Hai’. Of course, you’re soon cured.

Well Mr. Weir, I hope you will excuse my spelling for I was educated at Harryville University and many a good lick the principal gave me across the bare legs, bless his dear heart.

Yours, faithfully

Stafford Macartney, Rockfield, Ballyloughan.

Ballymena Observer, October 19. 1917

[Desmond7]

Thanks boys

Have found a Charity Macartney for Rockfield Ballymena on Irish Census 1911 ... looked at household form .. no Stafford ..

This letter sounds very authentic experience wise ... wish I could tie down which unit he was with!

I have looked at various Macartneys with S as a middle initial but nothing is much clearer.

Des

[roughdiamond]

There is only one Stafford McCartney (middle name Church) on the 1911 Irish Census, he's from Slaght, Antrim. The only problem is he's only 9.

Could Stafford and MacCartney have a comma between them, as in 2 names? There is a MacCartney family in Ballyloughan but there is only one that would've been of military age, James 13, there are no Stafford's

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/page...part_of/118532/

Is Rockfield an area of Ballyloughan or are they 2 seperate places? I had a look at Rockfield but there were no Stafford's or MacCartney's.

I also had a look and there isn't a Stafford MacCartney or McCartney born in Scotland post 1870, in the 1891 census or 1901 census, so the HLI man could be him.

As for Sailors in Mespot, the main line of supply and more or less the line of march for British troops was the Euphreties and Tigris rivers, there would have been plenty of boats and Sailors to man them on the Rivers, there were also RN gunboats, in Edward Roe's "Diary of an Old Contemptable", he mentions RN Gunboats trying unsuccesfully to break through a Turkish barrier on one of the rivers, so it's not unusual for a Sailor to be in that theatre.

[Desmond7]

Rockfield is basically 'across the road' from Ballyloughan - I've looked the MICs and I see a James S. ... you never know. Good googling by the way!!!

I cross checked with Ulster Cov and the Macartney family you refer to are represented by Charity (The head of household on Irish census) she gives her address as Rockfield, Ballyloughan

Of course maybe Stafford was out of the country when the census was taken! The joys of WW1 research.

Des

[roughdiamond]

It could still be the Sailor though, maybe a pre-war regular? I know the 1901 Census isn't online, can you access it in NI and see if he's there in 1901?

Don't know if you noticed this guy Des?

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=1

Sam

[KevinBattle]

If it is roughdiamonds find, note the date:-

Name: MACARTNEY

Initials: J S

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Serjeant

Regiment/Service: Army Veterinary Corps

Secondary Regiment: Royal Field Artillery

Secondary Unit Text: attd. "D" Bty. 136th Bde.

Date of Death: 11/11/1918

Service No: 6436

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: I. B. 20.

Cemetery: CAUDRY BRITISH CEMETERY

[johnny_doyle]

Rockfield is basically 'across the road' from Ballyloughan - I've looked the MICs and I see a James S. ... you never know. Good googling by the way!!!

I cross checked with Ulster Cov and the Macartney family you refer to are represented by Charity (The head of household on Irish census) she gives her address as Rockfield, Ballyloughan

Of course maybe Stafford was out of the country when the census was taken! The joys of WW1 research.

Des

Soldiers Died has James Stewart MacArtney no 6436 Army Veterinary Corps died 11/11/1918 as born Ayrshire.

On the 1911 Irish census Charity is marked as a widow with 5 surviving children all of whom are present so unlikely that Stafford is from this family

The IGI has a Stafford Mc Cartney born 1st April 1871 in Antrim, son of Stafford Mc Cartney and Elizabeth McDowell. No town mentioned. The Pilot site on FamilySearch gives the registration district as Ballymena.

from the Ellis Island records, a 41yr old(?) single chap born Ballymena, Ireland, 5'7", Red hair, fair complexion, blue eyes by the name of Stafford McCartney entered the USA via Liverpool on 9th Oct 1918. Appears to have been in the USA before. His fare was paid by the British Govt and he was heading to Chicago.

Based on a family tree on Ancestry (which doesn't list Stafford but does show the above mentioned parents), I believe the Stafford Church McCartney mentioned earlier is his nephew and that John Hamilton McCartney is his brother :

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/page.../Slaght/122011/

[Desmond7]

Kevin - what a date! Sadly from my purposes this does not seem to be the man but it's amazing what this game throws up!

Johnny - many thanks for what is obviously some great hunting.

I think the Stafford and Elizabeth may have come from the townland of Slatt outside Ballymena .. probably a connection given the unusual combination of names. The letter attributed to Stafford Macartney has a kinf od 'worldly wise' feel to it, kind of early middle age tone. I'm still pondering all avenues but once again thanks to you and everyone above. Class work.

By the way. Stafford's story is one of several I have pu together in an essay called 'In Far Off Lands' which is currently in Chit Chat but which may be moved to Ireland shortly.

I know you have a keen interest in irish stuff Johnny so the other stories in this article may well be of interest to you.

Thanks again.

Des