19/20576 Pte Herbert J Corkey 16th Royal Irish Rifles Battalion

[Guest]

Hello everyone, I apologize if I'm posting in the wrong place, feel free to point me in the correct direction if I am.

 

I came across my great grandfathers war medals recently. At first I didn't know anything about him serving in WWI. After researching all morning I have come to find out he served in the Royal Irish Rifles. I found two forms that look especially interesting. I've attached them to this post. My main question is what battalion was he in? His regiment number starts with 19. I'm not sure if that is significant or not. Thanks to someone on Reddit he explained the medals to me. That my great grandfather received the Victory and British medals but not the Star. He said that was given out in 14-15. So my GGrandfather would have arrived in France in 1916. My GGrandfathers name is Herbert John Corkey. On the Roll of Individuals it shows 16 R.Ir.Rif. Does that mean he was in the 16th battalion? Can anyone explain the breakdown of the regiment number to me?

 

Thank you!

[museumtom]

Where was he born or lived?

[George Rayner]

Welcome to the Forum with your first post.

 

It appears he was also RAF! 

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FAIR76%2F105%2F0%2F0487&parentid=GBM%2FAIR76%2F18546

 

Record on Find My Past.

 

Tom appears to be Warrenpoint from RAF card

 

George

[MaxD]

The 19 prefix indicated the battalion he first joined.  19 Battalion was a reserve battalion in Newcastle (N Ireland) then England in Apr 1918 that did not serve overseas.  He went overseas with 16 Battalion, retaining the 19/ prefix with his number.  Thus the RAF record shows 16 Battalion as his last army unit.  The significance of no Star is that regardless of when he joined, he didn't serve in a war theatre until after 1915.

 

The RAF record looks to me like the record of a selection board where he is hoping to join the RAF very near war's end but he is returned to his unit (R Irish Rifles) after a couple of months. I find no commission for a H J Corkey.  I'd be happy for others' opinions on that.

 

Max

Edited 16 January , 2020 by MaxD
Addition

[George Rayner]

I agree...looks like a problem with teeth!

I think about eight days and then returned and it was the end of the war as well

 

George

[museumtom]

Looks good to me George.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Warrenpoint/Great_George_s_Street/259676/

[Guest]

Thank you everyone! I've researched the 36th Ulster Division some more and their Pioneer Battalion the 16th 2nd County Downs. Does anyone have a clue as to where I could possibly look or find what company he could have been in?

[MaxD]

His missing service record may have had such detail, often only the battalion is recorded.  Have you read the war diary on the vanishingly small chance he is mentioned there with his company?

 

Max