Inniskilling Fusiliers

[Colin Rice]

Hi all,  am going round in circles. I know my great uncles service number, date of death, regiment, burial site. I just can't find more info on him. Can anyone point me in the right direction please. 

Colin 

[DavidOwen]

If you post those details here then I am sure the members will do their best to assist.

[Colin Rice]

His name was Daniel McLaughlin and I think he died in the battle of Messiness in 07/06/1917. His service number was 28704 and fought with the Royal  Inniskilling Fusiliers. He is buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery. He died of his wounds.
thanks in advance.

colin

[Allan1892]

The 'Soldiers Died in the Great War' database shows that he enlisted in Coleraine and that he died of wounds.

Edited 12 April by Allan1892

[Colin Rice]

Thanks Allan, I was hoping to find out about things like any medals he may have received etc. 

[kenf48]

2 hours ago, Colin Rice said:

Thanks Allan, I was hoping to find out about things like any medals he may have received etc. 

He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. This means he did  not enter a theatre of war until after 31st December 1915.  He was serving with the 7th Battalion when he died.  They landed in France in February 1916. The Medal Roll confirms his only service was with this Battalion.

28699 Sprague enlisted 29 July 1915 There is always a caveat on relying on just one record but he also served in the 7th Battalion.

See https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/royal-inniskilling-fusiliers/

You can download the war diary from TNA free if you register

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352882

As he was killed the 'war medals' would have been sent by registered post to his next of kin. There is nothing in the Roll to suggest they did not receive them.

 

[Colin Rice]

Thanks kenf48. It's a great hell to me. Not sure where the medals are. Would love to get them, or replicas and donate them to the Inniskilling Fusiliers museum in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. 

 

[kenf48]

11 minutes ago, Colin Rice said:

Thanks kenf48. It's a great hell to me. Not sure where the medals are. Would love to get them, or replicas and donate them to the Inniskilling Fusiliers museum in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. 

 

Don’t want to disillusion you but most regimental museums have so many medals most are tucked in a drawer.

A forum search will give details of recommended suppliers of duplicate medals and I believe the British Medal Forum has a ‘finding medals section’.  There are medal collectors on the forum who can advise further. I ‘m not.

[Colin Rice]

Oh, didn't think of that, so thanks. Might speak with them to see if they can shed any light on my Great, Great Uncle 

[Matlock1418]

17 hours ago, Colin Rice said:

His name was Daniel McLaughlin and I think he died in the battle of Messiness in 07/06/1917. His service number was 28704 and fought with the Royal  Inniskilling Fusiliers. He is buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery. He died of his wounds.

Colin,

Welcome to GWF.

From the Western Front Association/Fold3 pension records we can see the sad aftermath to his death - his mother, Ellen, made a dependant's pension claim

Images thanks to WFA/Fold3

The combined records are interesting in that they show initially an award and then an temporary increase in pension paid - rising from a fairly typical 3/6 pw from 9-4-18 to 7/6 pw, both under the 1918 Royal Warrant. Then 10/- pw and 12/- pw before reducing in 1921 to a more typical rate of 5/- pw, Art. 21.1(c) [son under 26y at death], all under the 1919 RW.

There must have been special extenuating circumstances for these higher quanta to have temporarily risen before falling back - seemingly relating to his parents' situation. As their son was under 26y at death [he appears to have been 19y according to CWGC] and without their prior higher dependancy on him the more typical, and seemingly likely the temporarily higher, quanta would both have been applied under the then applicable RW's Article 21 [especially likely temporarily under 21(1)(b) - which we can see recorded "if at any time either or both of the parents is or are wholly or partly incapable of self-support from age or infirmity, and they are in pecuniary need ..." since this offered an explanation and option for potentially higher temporary quanta without any special reference to any potential prior dependance level - award would be kept under review, as seems the case here].

Unfortunately the main pension award file is lost [likely deliberately destroyed, as were the majority] so we cannot see further details.

The pension was later taken over by his father, James.  Presumably his wife had died.

M

Edited 13 April by Matlock1418
tweak

[Colin Rice]

Thanks Matlock, this is really interesting to read. Unfortunately for me all those who may have known anything have all sadly passed away.

I am also on the hunt for his medals as they seemed to have been lost through the generations. 

Really grateful for your information. 

Colin