K.I.A. details wanted on Pte Thomas Irwin, U.S.Army, from Ireland

[jonathanb2701]

Hello, I am currently researching the war dead from Fivemiletown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

One name i have came across on the Church of Ireland Roll of Honour for the war dead is

Pte. Thomas Irwin, 58th Regiment, United States Army, date of death 15th July 1918.

Can anyone inform me who has access to any relevent records, as to where he is buried ?

{ ie Military Cemetery or Graveyard }, and how you would know who his next of kin were, and

his home address ?

I have picked up one Thomas Irwin, from Nurchossy, Fivemiletown, age 11 in the 1901 Irish census records,

but i am not sure if this is the same man.

Fivemiletown doesn't have a War Memorial at present, but fundraising is now ongoing, and the above requested

information will help fill in the background for this soldier, whose details are sparse.

Any help anyone can give, will be much appreciated.

[ss002d6252]

He's not recorded on the ABMC site so doesn't appear to be buried there (or reported missing without a known grave) - http://www.abmc.gov/search/wwi.php

Craig

[ss002d6252]

There's a US army enlistment record on Ancestry for a Thomas Irwin of Ireland but you need a worldwide access or buy credits to see more (I don't have access to confirm if he's the right man or not).

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=usarmyenlistments&so=2&pcat=MIL_DRAFT&rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-c&gsfn=thomas&gsln=irwin&cpxt=1&uidh=784&cp=12

Craig

[IPT]

There's a draft registration card for a Thomas Henry Irwin, born 17/4/1890 in Clogher. He was a farmer in Ida, Iowa.

[IPT]

There's the arrival at New York of the above Thomas Irwin, 20 yr old farmer from Fivemiletown on 14th May 1909. Destination Ida, Iowa. Father George from Ralesey, Fivemiletown.

[Malcolm]

Search

http://www.genealogybuff.com/misc/ww1/ww1-casualties.htm

for him.

Aye

Malcolm

[jonathanb2701]

Thanks to Craig, IPT and Malcolm for their help and advice.

Pte Thomas Irwin of the United States Army, seems to be very hard to track down as a casualty.

I can't find any details of where he might be buried.

I don't have access to Ancestry so i can't check his military records.

The local newspaper here, The Impartial Reporter, lists him as having being killed in the war in 1918.

But if anyone knows where he was killed, or his place of burial, i'd be pleased to hear from them.

Thanks again to all. Jonathan.

[Ian C]

Hi

Have you tried contacting the American Legion in Ireland? they might be able to help you.

IanC

[BottsGreys]

The Iowa section of Soldiers of the Great War shows Private Thomas H. Irwin as killed in action, hometown: Galva (Ida County, Iowa).

Regrettably, there is no pic of him in the portrait section.

Chris

[Neil Burns]

Hi,

There is a Thomas H. Irwin listed as killed in action Company E 58th Infantry Regiment in the 4th Division History.

Looks like he was from Galva Iowa listed as being born in "Clogher" Ireland, single born April 17, 1890.

Hope this helps,

Neil

[BottsGreys]

Jonathan:

Thomas' body was repatriated to Ireland after the war.

Per Ida County Gen Web (maintained by the Ida County Historical Society):

See:http://iagenweb.org/...raft/drafti.htm

Irwin, Thos. Henry 18-548

From Galva. Draft September 22, 1918 [sic]. Camp Dodge then to Camp Pike and

Camp Green. Arrived in France May 1, 1918. In Co.E, 58th US. Killed in action in

France July 15, 1918. Buried December 3, 1921 in Ireland. (See Pioneer February 1, 1922 issue)

http://iagenweb.org/ida/ww1.htm Shows him killed in action on July 15, 1918 near Chateau Thierry.

Chris

[jonathanb2701]

To everyone who has made postings in reply to my question , thank you.

It seems unusual that Thomas Irwin's body was been brought back to Ireland.

I am very interested to learn of his place of death, but i am still seeking his place of burial.

[Neil Burns]

Hi,

According to the 4th Division's Summary of Operations the 4th Division was occupying secondary positions along the Ourcq Canal in preparation of the Aisne-Marne Offensive.

Hope this helps,

Neil

[BottsGreys]

...It seems unusual that Thomas Irwin's body was been brought back to Ireland.

I am very interested to learn of his place of death, but i am still seeking his place of burial.

After the war, the U.S. Government gave next of kin (NOK) the one-time option of having their loved ones remain in military cemeteries in Europe or having them returned at government expense to the United States for burial in a military, family, or public cemetery. These repatriations began in 1921 and were several thousand in number. Since Thomas was single, his NOK in Ireland must have chosen to have him brought to his native soil. It would have cost the U.S. Government less to have him shipped from France to Ireland than from France to Iowa, so the government probably was all too ready to agree to the family's request. I searched the Find A Grave site for Ireland, but didn't find and entry for Thomas or his father, George. Finding his grave may entail some good old fashioned cemetery tramping. I have a feeling that if you find his father George, you will find Thomas nearby.

See this link below for a study of the 58th Infantry Regiment during the period July 15 to July 26, 1918, when it was attached to the French 164th Infantry Division. Page three states that the regiment moved into Rademont (due west of Chateau Thierry) on July 15 from which details of men were then sent into the French lines . Thomas must have been in one of these details and was killed in some sort of action involving the French. If you find a record of what the French 164th ID was involved in on July 15, it may give an idea of how Thomas was killed.

See http://www.benning.a...ames M. MAJ.pdf

Chris

[BottsGreys]

I found another history of the 58th Infantry, this one written by a member, Captain George L. Morrow:

http://dds.crl.edu/loadStream.asp?iid=1717&f=1

Per his page 30, "On July 10th, the regiment was assigned a sector in the zone of the VII French Army Corps. This defensive position was organized, and the Regiment was ready to occupy it in case the Germans broke through. Each night one platoon was sent from the front line companies to occupy the trenches for a 24-hour tour. On July 15th, the Regiment moved to Rademont, from whence large details were sent into the French lines to get a view of real warfare." Page 33 (July 17): "During the past several days successive details had been sent to the trenches to serve with the French...Death had already made its appearance; the Regiment had suffered casualties..." Thomas apparently was one of those early 58th Regiment casualties among those men detailed to the French lines.

Chris

[jonathanb2701]

Excellent information coming in, thanks to all concerned.

I think i will have to get time to read the local newspapers for December 1921,

for further information, ref burial of an American soldier

[Guest]

I know I come late, but Tommy Irwin was my great uncle. He emigrated from Ireland with his brother Matthew before the Great War. They farmed together in Galva, Iowa. They flipped a coin and Tommy went to war and Matt stayed to farm. 
 

There is a large rough stone with a plaque marker for Tommy in Silver Creek township at what would then have been a one room school. He was the first man from Ida County to die in the war. 
 

Tommy’s parents would have been in Ireland to receive the body. 

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Very interesting.

I wonder if @museumtom has his details in his records?

[museumtom]

Body sent home in 1921.

[museumtom]

[museumtom]

https://www.dungannonwardead.com/persondepth.asp?cas_id=891

[Guest]

@museumtom thank you so much!!!  We have never had all this information about my grandfather’s brother and family.  It is fascinating that Tommy was considered a resident of Ireland when he had lived in Iowa for so many years.  Now I’m searching for a picture to add to this file!

[museumtom]

Happy to help.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Amazing research. Well done Tom.

[museumtom]

Thanks David.