1415 Pte. Patrick McGroarty

[Dominion]

The aforementioned soldier has "Deceased" on his MIC but I cannot locate him in the CWGC. He was a private in the Connaught Rangers, I believe his date of birth is either 1869 or 1870. I have so far found very little on this man.

 

Is the term "Deceased" definition-wise different from "Killed in action"? Any help much appreciated!

[petwes]

 

[Dominion]

Fantastic, thank you so much! Spelling errors can really throw you off if you stick to them too closely. Looks like he is also named as McGurty on further investigation

Edited 19 June , 2021 by Dominion

[museumtom]

I saved this years ago and thought it would come in handy sometime. Enjoy.

Extract from the Register of the Acts of Death of the city of Calais for the year 1917. On the twelfth day of February, one thousand nineteen seven, three hours and forty minutes of the evening, in the General Hospital number thirty, died:P. Mac Gurty, age twenty eight years, soldier in the sixth Connaught Rangers Regiment of the British Army, permanent battalion base at Calais, number number one thousand four hundred and fifteen, domiciled at Manorhamilton, by Leitrm (Ireland), single (No further information. ) Drawn up on the fourteenth of February, one thousand nine hundred and seventeen, at four hours forty-five minutes of the evening, on the declaration of Albert Carpente, forty years old, soldier interpreter in the English army and Victor, Poiret, five years old, employee, domiciled in Calais; who, after reading, have signed with us Charles, Ravisse, deputy mayor of Calais, civil registrar by delegation.

[corisande]

He was born Patrick McGourty on  5 Sep 1885

 

[corisande]

Poor fellow suffered from people getting his name wrong - this is Soldier's Effects take on him

 

[corisande]

Similar problem with his MIC (Ancestry)

 

 

And LLT gives for 6th Connaught Rangers

 

6th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Kilworth in September 1914 as part of K2 and attached to 47th Brigade in 16th (Irish) Division. Moved to Fermoy. Moved to England in September 1915, going to Blackdown.
18 December 1915 : landed in France.
13 April 1918 : reduced to cadre, almost 300 troops going to the 2nd Bn, the Leinster Regiment.
3 August 1918 : disbanded in France after brief spells under 34th and 39th Divisions.

 

And in fact Dublin paper has him as McGroarty. So it looks as if that is what he served as

 

 

 

 

[corisande]

Clearly he was 6th Connaught Rangers in WW1

 

I suspect he was in British Army earlier, and had left time expired before 1914, and re-joined 6th Connaught RAngers

 

Because of name variances he is difficult to track, but I cannot find him at home in either 1901 Irish Censuses

 

I think that this is his family in 1901 & 1911 at the village he was born at, but he is not there. His father re-married in 1894

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ss002d6252]

The gross war gratuity was £13 - for 28 months war time service at the time of death.

 

 

2 hours ago, corisande said:

He was born Patrick McGourty on  5 Sep 1885

 

 

Interesting that he was 32 when he died via the certificate but the grave has 28, usually the family would have corrected this.

 

Craig

[corisande]

Difficult to say, Craig. His mother died before 1894, and his father before 1911. By 1911 census all his siblings have left the stepmother's house

 

It is possible, but not probable, that I am wrong on his birth. But working back through censuses, marriages, births and deaths it fits together

 

As I said, I feel he probably was in Army in 1901 (South Africa so we could never find him) and 1911 when he should be findable

 

(I got goggle eyed with the possible renditions of his surname!)

[ss002d6252]

33 minutes ago, corisande said:

Difficult to say, Craig. His mother died before 1894, and his father before 1911. By 1911 census all his siblings have left the stepmother's house

 

It is possible, but not probable, that I am wrong on his birth. But working back through censuses, marriages, births and deaths it fits together

 

As I said, I feel he probably was in Army in 1901 (South Africa so we could never find him) and 1911 when he should be findable

 

(I got goggle eyed with the possible renditions of his surname!)

That would perhaps suggest then that no-one was available to correct it. An old soldier giving a different age to re-enlist would be spot on with this.

Craig

[Matlock1418]

1 hour ago, ss002d6252 said:

That would perhaps suggest then that no-one was available to correct it.

No doubt Craig has also already checked - but I could not find any pension claim made.

Again perhaps indicative of no NoK [or at least none able or minded to claim]

 

I also note from the MIC above [Medal Roll as Mc Groarty] the 1914-15 Star was returned under KR1743 [as returned undelivered - but not 100% sure what the subsequent  "Adt/8405" reference means] - so likewise, perhaps it seems there may have been a shortage of a recipient to accept it. ??

:-) M

[Dominion]

Once again, thank you all so much - Some excellent information and quite the memory @museumtom to have recalled that interesting snippet! I looked into his family a little more and it appears his father died on 26th August 1906. One thing I think is a little odd is that on the memorial it states "Son of Thomas and Anne Mcgourty, of Lownyinshinagh, Glenfarne Enniskillen" - but is his mother not Ellen?

 

I also found him under McGurty in the Irish Memorial Record. 

 

A quick browse through the Regimental War Diary did not seem to mention any action on that day, or days surrounding. 

 

He has a gravestone in Calais Southern Cemetery but a P. McGurty of the 6th Connaught Rangers is also named on the Menin Gate (12th February 1917)

 

 

[museumtom]

I think Corisande has the answer why his mother is Ellen and not Anne. He says.....'His father re-married in 1894' perhaps he married again?

Edited 19 June , 2021 by museumtom

[museumtom]

Or not?

 

[corisande]

If you go back to Soldiers effects, one of his brothers is "Bryan" which is not a common name here

 

Bryan's birth is

 

 

He is son of Thomas and Ellen (nee McTernan)

 

As is the original Patrick (on my earlier post his BC)

 

 

And this is the parents marriage

 

 

Basically the only way that Patrick and Bryan are not the correct brothers is if there are  two others with same names in small hamlet of Townishaugh (of which there are various spelling, but I think only one place)

 

 

 

[corisande]

And two more of his siblings as on Soldiers Effects

 

 

 

 

[Matlock1418]

4 hours ago, Dominion said:

He has a gravestone in Calais Southern Cemetery but a P. McGurty of the 6th Connaught Rangers is also named on the Menin Gate (12th February 1917)

 

It would seem he was so good they have perhaps commemorated him twice!

Unless there is a remarkable coincidence of course!!  Any chance it might be another man?

 

That said, I can't find a P. McGurty, CR on the MG at CWGC, only PatricK McGourty at Calais.

So I suppose corrected at some stage [I wonder by whom??] and potentially waiting to be removed from the MG ??

 

@museumtomand @corisandeMay I please say, in a complimentary way, I do love it when you [and of course other members] with good 'local knowledge' [Irish or other nation] get involved with threads [and commonly outside the strictly military aspects] - so interesting, informing and often revealing. Thanks to one and all.  Just felt I had to say it. :-)

:-) M

[museumtom]

Why thank you kindly Matlock. Just like yourself we like to help.

[corisande]

What I find encouraging  on this forum is the lack (well generally) of rancour in the discussions  there are about Ireland