George McCracken

[shancrom]

Recently spoke a an elderly gent, who is a great nephew of Pte George McCracken 13th RIR who died of wounds 03/07/16, George is buried in St Sever Cemetry Rouen, it appears George was one of the casualties resulting from the shell which burst in the middle of C Company who where passing through Martinsart to relieve the 11th RIR just prior to the 1st July attack, i believe there is a memorial to the victims of that particular incident, and wonder why George is not included on it, the gent in question has written to the cwgc and the local Somme centre in N.Ireland, but has not heard any reply, any suggestions on how this could be progressed or is it worth the effort, this man is in possession of a letter dated 8/07/16, from Georges brother Dick, who was also present when the incident occurred and was one of only 2 left standing, in the letter he mentions the terrible aftermath of the incident, and seeing his brother George seriously wounded, Dick went on to take part in the 1st of july attack and was severely wounded, and survived the war.

[chrisharley9]

Good Morning

The soldier you mention already has a CWGC Commemoration

Name: McCRACKEN, GEORGE

Initials: G

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Rifleman

Regiment/Service: Royal Irish Rifles

Unit Text: 13th Bn.

Age: 21

Date of Death: 03/07/1916

Service No: 18242

Additional information: Son of George and Catherine McCracken, of Clarkhill, Annsborough, Co. Down.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: A. 22. 2.

Cemetery: ST. SEVER CEMETERY, ROUEN

As he has a CWGC commemoration at St Sever CWGC will not commemorate him anywhere else

Chris

[tommy mcclimonds]

Shancrom

Interesting piece of information indeed. Wouldn't mind sight of the letter that you refer to in the post.

Chris

I think this is the Memorial that Shancrom is referring to, which was in fact, if I remember correctly erected by the Somme Association on 29th June 2007, in Mesnil-Martinsart on the wall of the Town Hall/Marie.

Regards, Tommy.

[shancrom]

Tommy, unfortunately the family are currently not keen on the letter being published, the following is a brief extract from it.

"How i escaped that night i don't know. I was standing along with him ready to go to the trenches when the shell burst right in the middle of us all killing 24 and wounding over 30 what a sight. Legs, heads, arms were scattered in all directions, poor Geordie got it in both legs and arms."

Dick and George where both bandsmen with the 13th, and acted as stretcher bearers, Bob Hamilton from Castlewellan also survived the incident, and him and Dick both went over the top on the 1st July, Bob was captured and spent the rest of war as a POW, Bob is the side drummer on the far right of the attached photo.

http://s1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc444/shancrom/?action=view&current=13THLEAVEcLADEBOYEFORnEWTONARDSRAILWAYSTATION.jpg

Kenny

[shancrom]

13TH RIR band leaving Clandeboye marching towards Newtownards Railway station, the train left and made several stops enroute to Dublin, the man who has been sharing this info me, recalls his mother who was 16 years old at the time, telling him that she was among a large group who gathered at Annsborough train station, and waved goodbye as the men headed for Seaford in England.

If you look carefully at the photo you can see a mark over the drummer on the **** right, this mark was placed by Bob Hamilton, who pointed himself out on the photo, the McCracken brothers both Fluter's where also in the band that day.

[tommy mcclimonds]

Kenny

Interesting indeed. There is another thread on the Martinsart incident, post 22 gives an extract from the battalion war diary for 28/06 - http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=100975&hl=martinsart&st=0

I am aware there was another bandsman killed as well, Rfn James Carson, he also played a flute and is buried in Martinsart.

Regards, Tommy.