Researching my heroes from the Royal Irish Rifles 2nd Battalion

[peter__m]

These men are buried with my great grandfather Lance Serjeant James Mullan in Le Bizet.

I have been researching and reading a lot. (and thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it!)

The account of this incident is vividly and movingly recalled by Lucy in 'There's a Devil in the Drum'.

I will post the extract later if you would like.

_______________________________________________________________

I know that Mullan and Erskine were shelled while with a working party.

MacKenzie and Doherty are the medical officers who rushed to help and were both shelled themselves while trying to attend to their wounded comrades.

I would love to find out more about the men, track down their medals or get in touch with any other family members out there.

I don't want them to be forgotten.

1 MACKENZIE, MAURICE, M

Lieutenant Royal Army Medical Corps 28/11/1915 28 B. 1.

2 DOHERTY , F

Lance Serjeant 9002 Royal Irish Rifles 28/11/1915 24 B. 2.

3 ERSKINE , G

Corporal 8644 Royal Irish Rifles 28/11/1915 Unknown B. 3.

4 MULLAN, JAMES, J

Lance Serjeant 6637 Royal Irish Rifles 28/11/1915 39 B. 4.

Thanks,

Peter

[peter__m]

I think I'll start by getting all the MIC's downloaded.

[Stebie9173]

Maurice Mackenzie was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the RAMC on 15-1-1915.

From LG 29-1-1915

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

Short family obituary in the Times 4-12-1915

and longer officers obituary from the same.

Steve.

[peter__m]

Thanks Stebie...This is fabulous...

My great grandfather was the wounded man...

I feel quite emotional reading that...

[Stebie9173]

Glad to help, Peter.

Captain Kaye's appointment was on the same day by the way, and is on the previous Gazette page

Medal card of Kaye, Henry Wynyard

Corps Regiment No Rank

Belgian Unit Medical Officer

Royal Army Medical Corps Captain

Looks like Maurice Mackenzie was Mentioned in Despatches.

Description Medal card of MacKenzie, M

Corps Regiment No Rank

Royal Army Medical Corps Temporary Lieutenant

Date 1914-1920

Catalogue reference WO 372/24

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...;resultcount=70

I think this is his Gazette entry for the MID:

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

Steve.

[peter__m]

Now for some reason Lucy does not use the real names of soldiers in his accounts and sometimes his dates are a little out but I am 100% sure that this is the incident involving my great grandfather and the other men mentioned in my previous post.

Ryan is Doherty I'm sure.

'There's a Devil in the Drum'

[peter__m]

Lieutenant MacKenzie rushed to help injured Lance Serjeant James Mullan and Corporal Erskine. MacKenzie was killed himself in the process. Serjeant Doherty, MacKenzie's right hand man I understand, then bravely went to try and help the injured men knowing all too well what his fate may be.

MacKenzie and Doherty are buried with Mullan and Erskine in Le Bizet. It was very moving to read this account in Lucy's book. It is the incident that breaks him.

[Stebie9173]

A really moving extract, Peter.

Does it state anywhere which man was being treated by which man?

Did you expect to find your great grandfather referred to in one of the Classic books of the Great War when you started your search?

Steve.

[peter__m]

I know Steve. It really has been something special for me.

I started with a British war medal. I knew nothing about my great grandfather.

A family friend suggested that we should dig deeper and directed me to the CWGC site. I found the forum through an internet search. What a blessing that was.

Since then I have been overwhelmed by the support, encouragement and advice I've been given on the forum.

Everything forum members have suggested have ended up all interlinking and now I've come to this point.

I found a few references in Jimmy Taylor's book and he replied to me personally. I've consumed Cyril Falls History of the Royal Irish Rifles.

I've sat up all night at times, searching and reading.

I read Lucy's book just to get a feel for it all. And what a book. One of the best I've ever read.

And then I find this near the end of it and my jaw drops.

Every medal I'm sure has a story to tell...

It has captured me...

[peter__m]

Jimmy Taylor's 'The 2nd Royal Irish Rifles in the Great War'.

List of Casualties and Deaths

November 1915

28th - 9002 L/Sgt Francis Doherty

- 8644 Cpl George Erskine

- L/Sgt James Mullan (died of wounds)

This is also an extract Jimmy has taken from the Jesuit Archives.

28th November 1915

Father Gill

'This morning we lost our MO, Dr MacKenzie, who was most popular and loved by all. He was sent for to attend a wounded RE officer. He set out at once and met the party ten minutes walk up the road. He began dressing his wounds and, whilst doing so, a shell fell killing him and Sgt. Doherty. Both were killed on the spot. The later was a splendid Catholic and was the greatest help to me...The Sgt was absolutely devoted to the sick and wounded.'

I'm assuming the Father would not have been as close to the action as Lucy was and therefore his account is slightly more hazy.

[Borden Battery]

Here are some additional websites with an Irish theme which might provide some additional research leads.

Regards - Borden Battery

Letters of the Lt.-Col. George Brenton Laurie (Commanding 1st Battn. Royal Irish Rifles) : Dated November 4th, 1914-March 11th, 1915

Laurie, George Brenton [CEF Study Group]

http://www.archive.org/details/lettersoflaurie00vereuoft

*The Great War: Vimy Ridge George Van Wyck Laughton, M.C.,

Canadian - Serving in the British 3rd Army, 34th Division, 26th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (Tyneside Irish)

Documents have now been posted that relate to research on the Great War as seen by 2nd Lt. George Van Wyck Laughton, M.C., primarily as it applies to the Battle of Arras. The website also has a very good set of URL links to many other interesting sites. In addition, you can access the complete text of Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War - Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1919, Colonel G. W. L. Nicholson, C.D., Army Historical Section including digital copies of the original colour maps. [CEF Study Group]

http://www.censol.ca/research/greatwar/links.htm

The Irish Guards in the Great War

Edited and compiled originally by Rudyard Kipling from their diaries and papers; Volume I, The First Battalion, (1923) has been re-presented by Russell Tayler. The following material is reported to be in the public domain. The published material includes the following chapters: Introduction, 1914 Mons To La Bassée, 1915 La Bassée To Laventie, 1916 The Salient To The Somme, 1917 The Somme To Gouzeaucourt and 1918 Arras To The Armistice. [CEF Study Group - Dec 2005]

http://whitewolf.newcastle.edu.au/words/au...dsv1/index.html

The History of the Irish Guards from 1900 to 1919

The website begins with the establishment of the regiment by Queen Victoria in April 1900, details of the units actions, information on their kit, a reading list, a re-enacting section on the Irish Guards and two volumes on the Irish Guards by Rudyard Kipling. [CEF Study Group - April 2006]

http://www.irishguards.net/

The 5th Royal Irish Lancers

This site attempts to tell the story of the oldest lancer regiment within the British Army. Ranging throughout it's turbulent history dating from 1689, temporary disbandment in 1799, reformation in 1858 and it's eventual disbandment in 1922. "The Redbreasts" or "The Daily Advertisers" as the 5th Royal Irish Lancers were known, went into battle with the motto of the Order of St Patrick "Quis Separabit" (Who Shall Separate?). Detailed site with lots of linkages to other Irish military units. [CEF Study Group - Jan 2006]

http://www.royalirishlancers.co.uk/

The Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association

The site commemorates all Irish men and women who volunteered, served and died in the Great War 1914-1918 by organizing public exhibitions, lectures, seminars, visits and the publication of a journal. It includes information and objects relating to the soldiers of Royal Dublin Fusiliers and the other disbanded Irish Regiments. [CEF Study Group - Mar 2006]

http://www.greatwar.ie/

The 16th Irish Division in the Great War 1914-18

This website honours the men of the 16th Irish Division who took part in the Great War of 1914-1918.

http://freespace.virgin.net/sh.k/xvidiv.html

Irish War Memorials Project

This web-site presents an inventory of war memorials in Ireland. It includes photographs of each memorial, the text of all inscriptions, and details of the site of the memorial. A database of all of those named allows a search for individual persons, with links to the photographs of the memorials. [CEF Study Group - Jan 2006]

http://www.irishwarmemorials.ie/

[peter__m]

Some excellent links and reading for me to get through. Thanks.

If anyone else has or comes across any thing to do with these men...please do let me know!

[peter__m]

Coming across some interesting things?

Can any of you help?

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...c=64482&hl=

[Guest julieshaw66]

Hello Peter,

It's really interesting to read the information about the men who died with your relative.

George Erskine was my great grandfather's brother and, apart from the fact that he had been killed, we had no knowledge of the circumstances.

Since reading your comments I have obtained details of his grave in Le Bizet cemetery and hope to visit it in the future.

Kind regards

Julie

[peter__m]

Ah Julie this is fabulous.

I took my Dad in the summer.

We found the grave - it was very moving - I have some amazing pictures for you...

Will post them on here soon.

I can send them to you by email also.

[peter__m]

It was a really special day when my father and I found the graves of the men.

The sun was beaming down on is and it was like we were meant to be there.

We took lots of photos and tried to capture the moment but I'm afraid you just need to be there.

We were sad but very happy to have found them.

[peter__m]

There was a beautiful red rose that had flowered up across my great grandfather's grave. Could someone tell me if this would have been the CWGC's work?

I stayed there for a long time. My father and I read the account from Lucy's book in front of the four graves. Was quite a moment.

The Communal Cemetery of Armentieres.

[peter__m]

This is the grave of James Mullan my great grandfather.

My search had come to an end.

[peter__m]

Julie this is especially for you.

Your great grandfather's brother's grave is right beside James Mullan.

[stuartmcb]

Peter,

Copied from http://www.ulsterwarmemorials.net/html/newtownards.html

Submitted by his great, great Grandson Peter Mullan.

MULLAN, JAMES Lance Serjeant, “G” Coy., 2nd Batt. Royal Irish Rifles. Service No. 6637.

James went out to France in November 1914 and was killed a year later on 28th November 1915 in a trench mortar attack at Armentieres. He was 39 years of age. He is buried at Le Bizet Cemetery, Armentieres. He was the husband of Mrs. M. Mullan, of 6, Darraghs Lane, Church Street Newtownards, County Down

[peter__m]

Peter,

Copied from http://www.ulsterwarmemorials.net/html/newtownards.html

Submitted by his great, great Grandson Peter Mullan.

MULLAN, JAMES Lance Serjeant, “G” Coy., 2nd Batt. Royal Irish Rifles. Service No. 6637.

James went out to France in November 1914 and was killed a year later on 28th November 1915 in a trench mortar attack at Armentieres. He was 39 years of age. He is buried at Le Bizet Cemetery, Armentieres. He was the husband of Mrs. M. Mullan, of 6, Darraghs Lane, Church Street Newtownards, County Down

Yep that's me. Nice of the guy from the website to post it up there for me.

[Neil Mackenzie]

Peter.

I have only just noticed your post and have been very interested to read it.

Back in May 2007, with an old school friend of mine, I visited 170 cemeteries in the Ypres and general area. For each one we had at least one man to visit. For Le Bizet I had chosen Lt Mackenzie (purely because of his surname). Of all of these cemeteries the only grave we didn't find was his - we were looking in the cemetery up near the Belgian border rather than the one nearer Armentieres.

The only info we had was from the War Diary (which I am sure you have read):-

"28/11/1915

In billets at Le Bizet

Working parties furnished by Bn shelled while repairing Communication trenches. The MO proceeded at once to the place and while attending the wounded was killed by a shell.

Killed Lt Maurice Mackenzie RAMC, 2 OR, wounded 4 OR"

(We had worked out that in fact 3 OR were killed)

Thanks again.

Neil

[peter__m]

Peter.

I have only just noticed your post and have been very interested to read it.

Neil

Neil your post made me smile because I can tell you it took my father and I a long time to track down the graves. I had all but given up hope of finding the men after two days of driving around and much frustration. I was desperate to them and I think my dad thought I was losing it at one point. But we kept looking. There is no Le Bizet cemetery as such so of course over the course we visited every single place in the area. I phoned my girlfriend at home to check over the CWGC information. The communal cemetery of Armentieres was the very first place I had come across and I had ruled it out as being the place. Too easy I thought!

'The cemetery is the Communal Cemetery of Armentieres. It stands away from the town on the North side, a little East of the road to Ploegsteert. In the far North-West corner, in two groups, are the graves of seven soldiers the United Kingdom who fell in 1915.' Of course in my haste to get to Armentieres and find them, I had neglected to read the small print on the CWGC website!

And there they were.

Here is Lieutenant MacKenzie's headstone close up Neil.

[peter__m]

Lieutenant Maurice MacKenzie seems to have been a truly remarkable MO, highly respected and loved by the men. I was very moved at the graves.

I had been reading through Wilfred Owen's 'Dulce et Decorum Est' over the summer. I had copied it into my journal weeks before and written a few reflections on it.

When I saw what was on the bottom of the headstone - I felt like I was right where I was meant to be. Paying homage to these fine men. I wept.

[peter__m]

Was visiting the Royal Irish Rifles museum in Belfast on Friday and found James Mullan's name in an old ledger.

A little bonus I was not expecting!

Staff were very helpful too.

The 4th was reserve battalion who draughted into the 2nd.

James seemed to sign and go the next day.

Is this a clue as to him being a professional soldier?