Pte. Patrick Melley, Inniskilling Fusiliers

[P. J. Clarke]

A grandson asked me to try and find some info on this soldier. I know you will help, as you have been magnificent on other occasions that I sent a query in. A medal index card with a Patrick Melly name and an Inniskilling Fusiliers number --8786-- is all that I could find. I understand that he was terribly shell-shocked when he came home and lived in Ballina, but the residents where he lived are now all dead so no info on him. The census of 1911 for Sligo says there was a Patrick Melley living in this county and was married. I think it is a Donegal name as I have found it mentioned on several geneolgy sites. Thanks and best wishes.

[Sandie Hayes]

The Patrick Melley you have the MIC for was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1st July 1916. He was a Corporal and was born in Ballyshannon.

He enlisted in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in Ballyshannon. He was serving with 87th Coy, Machine Gun Corps at the time of his death (Cpl 21391).

He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

[Sandie Hayes]

Ireland's Memorial Records:

MELLEY, Patrick. Reg No 21391. Rank: Corporal, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) 1st Battalion. Formerly Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers ; killed in action, France, July 1 1916; born Ballyshannon, County Donegal.

In the 1911 census he was serving as a Private with 1st Bttn, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in Hong Kong. He was 27 and single.

He gave his birthplace as Knimercsmint (?), Ballyshannon, Donegal

I think this is him in 1901:

Meenagowan, Lettermacaward, Donegal, Ireland

Head: Pat Melley 50 Farmer

Annie 46 wife

Sarah 19 daughter

Patrick 17 son

Mary 16 daughter

Connell 14 son

John 10 son

Annie 8 daughter

All were born in Co Donegal, spoke Irish and English and all were Roman Catholic.

[P. J. Clarke]

Hi: I have come into another piece of information which states that a Patrick Malley, No. 8293, Connaught Rangers and No. 315704, Sapper Royal Engineers, could be the person I'm looking for. Thanks for previous viewing and replies.

[Sandie Hayes]

Patrick Malley - Private 8293 2nd Connaught Rangers / Sapper 315704 Royal Engineers. First overseas 14.08.1914.

[Sandie Hayes]

Assuming he was already in the Army when war was declared, I have found a Patrick Malley in the Connaught Rangers (Special Reserve). He was born in Westport, Co Mayo. He was a Blacksmith and enlisted in January 1913.

Do you think he could be your man?

EDIT

No this isn't him, this chap never went until 11th September.

[John Byrne]

My first posting here..great to be on board. My Grandfather 8293 Pte Patrick Malley (Melley) 2nd Connaught Rangers. I'm now custodian of his medals. Trying to establish when he would have enlisted, as 1911 Census has him in Sligo. Thanks 

[PRC]

Hi @John Byrne and welcome to the forum.

Paul Nixon’s Army Service number website shows the Regular Army Battalions of the Connaught Rangers would have issued regimental service number 8293 at some point between the 17^th February 1904, (8135) and the 4^th January 1905, (8450). https://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/2011/07/connaught-rangers-1st-2nd-battalions.html

The standard short enlistment was a period of 12 years, split into a period in the colours, (i.e. in uniform, in barracks, subject to full military discipline 24/7, and receiving full pay, clothing, board and lodging and medical care) and a period in the reserves, (i.e. back in civvy street, on half pay, subject to military discipline only when attending refersher training, access to healthcare and liable for immediate recall in the event of a national emergency such as war).

The Army tried a number of splits during the 1900’s, going from 7 &5, 3&9, 9&3 and back to 7&5, as the standard offering for infantry and cavalry. A rectuit could opt for other splits but had to request them otherwise they got the standard offering.

It may be possible to narrow down that name a bit more as some of his comtemporaries may have left the army before Britain joined the Great War – most of the service records for those who served in the ranks in the Great War were lost in the Blitz when German bombs hit the London Warehouse where they were being stored.

Unfortunately I’m now going out for the evening but will try to take a look later.

Cheers,
Peter

[PRC]

I don’t have a subscription to FindMyPast or Ancestry, but what I have access to includes the service records for men discharged prior to the Great War – the National Archive series WO97.

8269 Thomas Kilgannon attested at Ballinasloe on the 28^th July 1904, enlisting for a short service 12 years split 3 years in the colours and 9 in the reserves. He was then serving with a militia Battalion of the Regiment. He reached the Depot at Galway on the 29^th. After completing his basic training he was posted to the 1^st Battalion on the 21^st November 1904. He was discharged medically unfit in August 1906. He only served in the UK. (WO97 series record).

8272 Thomas Cummins attested at Ballinasloe on the 3rd August 1904, enlisting for a short service 12 years split 3 years in the colours and 9 in the reserves. He was then serving with a militia Battalion of the Regiment. He reached the Depot at Galway on the 6^th August. He was discharged on the 16^th August 1904, mis-statement as to age. (WO97 series record).

8276 Peter Hegarty attested at Dublin on the 4^th August 1904, enlisting for a short service 12 years split 3 years in the colours and 9 in the reserves. He had no previous military service. He reached the Depot at Galway on the 8^th August and purchased his release while still at the Depot on the 30^th September 1904. (WO97 series record).

8280 Michael Curry has surviving service records going into WW1.

8287 John McLoughlin has surviving service records going into WW1, (FindMyPast – indexed as pension records on Ancestry)

8290 Henry McNama landed in France with the 2^nd Battalion on the 14^th August 1914. Discharged 6^th July 1916. Received the Silver War Badge. The Silver War Badge Roll will show his enlistment date – transcription on FindMyPast, image on Ancestry.

8293 Patrick Malley \ Melley. Landed in France with the 2^nd Battalion on the 14^th August 1914.

8296 William Murphy attested at Cork on the 22^nd August 1904, enlisting for a short service 12 years split 3 years in the colours and 9 in the reserves. He had no previous military service. He reached the Depot at Galway on the 28^th August. After completing his basic training he was posted to the 1^st Battalion on the 21^st November 1904. He served only in the UK. He was posted to the Army Reserve Section B on the 21^st August 1907. Convicted by the civil power while he was a reservist, he was dishonourably discharged on the 29^th November 1909. (WO97 series record).

8298 Michael Mullen attested at Tuam on the 1^st September 1904, enlisting for a short service 12 years split 3 years in the colours and 9 in the reserves. He had no previous military service. He reached the Depot at Galway on the 3^rd September. He was discharged on the 4^th October 1904, mis-statement as to age. (WO97 series record).

8301 Patrick Conelly attested at Galway on the 5^th September 1904, enlisting for a short service 12 years split 3 years in the colours and 9 in the reserves. He had no previous military service. He reached the Depot at Galway the same day. He was posted to the 1^st Battalion on the 7^th January 1905, and then the 2^nd Battalion on the 8^th December 1905, travelling out to India. On the 1^st May 1906 he opted to increase his service to 8 years in the colours, with less in the reserves. He was dishonourably discharged in 1909 for indecent conduct. (WO97 series record).

So looks like Patrick Malley may have attested in mid September August 1904 for 12 years, and if he was on the 1911 Irish Census most likely on a 3 and 9 split. That would have seen him back in civilian life in September August 1907 as an Army Reservist.

He would have been mobilised on the 5^th August 1914 and reported to the Depot. He was then, along with other mobilised reservists, used to bring the 2^nd Battalion up to full campaign strength.

Hope that helps,
Peter

Edited 10 September , 2023 by PRC
Correct month of enlistment

[corisande]

I think this thread is confusing two individuals. The Donegal man died in 1916 and is clearly another person. The Sligo man may be the chap below, or it may be a string of coincidences. There is not enough cross checks to be sure, but the only evidence on him being Malley seems to be MIC, all else to Melley

• The original query was for Patrick Melley , Inniskilling Fusiliers # 8786 . He was born Knimercsmint Ballyshannon, Donegal, Ireland. In 1911 census he was with 1st Inniskilling in Hong Kong/ He died on Somme on 1 Jul 1916
•  
•  
• The thread then morphed into Patrick Malley, Inniskilling Fusiliers # 8293. In fact MIC says Malley, and Roll has Melley
• 1886. A Patrick Melley is born 20 Mar 1886 in Sligo to Patrick & Annie Melley
• 1901 census with parents at Armstrongs Row, Sligo  Age 16 pointing at birth of about 1885
• 1904 on Peters analysis he enlisted in Connaught Rangers about Sep 1904
• 1908. A Patrick Melley married Mary Anne Regan . 7 Jan 1908. Abbey St, Sligo
• 1911. His grandson above said this man is in 1911 census in Sligo, and the only person I can get to fill that is Patrick Melley (sic) aged 24, married to Mary Anne. At Vernon St, Sligo. The census says he was born in Co Sligo
• 1914 Aug 14 landed in France with 2nd Connaught Rangers
• 1920. 1921. His wife Mary Anne died in Sligo on 20 Mar 1920
• A Patrick Melley, widower , married Susan Kerrin in Sligo on 28 Jan 1921
• 1922There is a Staff Sgt Patrick Melley (sic) in Irish Army census of Nov 1922. Wife Susan, High St , Sligo. Age 37 points to birth about 1885
• 1963. OP says lived Ballina. A Patrick Melley died there in 1963 aged 80. pointing to birth about 1884

[PRC]

45 minutes ago, corisande said:

I think this thread is confusing two individuals.

I was in two minds as to whether to start my first reply with a request to the admins to split this off into a new thread. But reading back through it didn't seem to be the easiest of tasks and the intermingling of the two individuals has been going on for a number of posts.

May still be worth considering as the interchanging of two individuals plus an alternate name spelling may put others off from contributing.

For what it's worth I don't think the Connaught Ranger\Royal Engineer soldier that @John Byrne is enquiring about is either the County Donegal or the County Mayo man mentioned earlier in the thread.

Cheers,
Peter

[John Byrne]

Many thanks for the excellent research. My Grandfather was Sligo born and the details researched above are as accurate as possible. His probable join up dates are much clearer now..He served with the Irish Army based in the Curragh up to late 1940s. My mother was born and raised there..Grandad retired to old Veterans quarters in Ballina, Co Mayo. He died in 1963 as outlined..again many thanks.