stevenbecker Posted 5 June , 2007 Share Posted 5 June , 2007 Mates, Can you help with this man. In the AIF service record of this man there is a note from Ireland to the effect that this soldier had been killed in an Ambush in Ireland on the 6th March 1921. O'NEILL John 818 Pte AVC Now this no more on this soldiers AIF records as he had been discharged after the war in Australia so he must have traveled back to ireland for some reason. What type of soldier would be in ireland in 1921, Irish or British or RIC. Having a name like John O'neill which is common in Ireland and his family came from Dublin Ireland even if John enlisted in the AIF from Adavale Qld. Can anyone find his man in the records of the time as the CWGC appears not to have him. Cheers S.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill Woerlee Posted 5 June , 2007 Share Posted 5 June , 2007 Steve G'day mate This fellow might have been part of the Tan Terror - there was quite a bit of strife with the Sinn Fein destroying food supplies at that time. In addition to this 6 March 1921 was a pretty busy time with Queenstown Bridge blown up as a diversionary tactic to attack the Police Barracks. The attack failed but there were many casualties on both sides. Indeed George Clancy, Mayor of Limerick was murdered on 7 March 1921. Cheers Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyblackpool Posted 5 June , 2007 Share Posted 5 June , 2007 Mates, Can you help with this man. In the AIF service record of this man there is a note from Ireland to the effect that this soldier had been killed in an Ambush in Ireland on the 6th March 1921. O'NEILL John 818 Pte AVC Now this no more on this soldiers AIF records as he had been discharged after the war in Australia so he must have traveled back to ireland for some reason. What type of soldier would be in ireland in 1921, Irish or British or RIC. Having a name like John O'neill which is common in Ireland and his family came from Dublin Ireland even if John enlisted in the AIF from Adavale Qld. Can anyone find his man in the records of the time as the CWGC appears not to have him. Cheers S.B hi sb, i think one of the devonshire battalions were there in 1919 it could be a starting point .tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 5 June , 2007 Share Posted 5 June , 2007 Having checked RIC I can only find one man killed on 6 march 1921 a RIC Sregeant. Sgt James Maguire Died 6 March 1921, aged 49 Shot dead by five armed men as he was walking in Kilmallock. So possibly a serving soldier. I will have a better look later when I get in from work if no one else has. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted 5 June , 2007 Share Posted 5 June , 2007 There are a number of possibilities. If he was simply home visiting he may have been killed as an exserviceman- quite a number were killed. He could have joined the IRA or the Black and Tans or a unit of the British Army. Is there any indication of who raised the note on his file? ie was it issued by a particular unit or headquarters? Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boreenatra Posted 5 June , 2007 Share Posted 5 June , 2007 Steve. The note on page 22 here http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.as...mp;I=1&SE=1 is asking about a will. There is also another mention later and also on page 56. Fascinating reading as all these records are. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenbecker Posted 5 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 June , 2007 Mates, Thanks so far. Steve, Yes I was reading that file yesterday which is why I asked the question. Its a rather strange statment which tells a lot and so little. Of cause it reads "This Soldier was killed in an ambush on the 6 march 1921" Does that mean this former soldier or was he a serving soldier when killed? And "Killed in an ambush" must mean he was as a soldier of some type and not a civiy. I was hopeing he may have been RIC but that appears not to be. So Could he have joined one of the many British or Irish raised Regts in Ireland and why no listings of deaths in the records. The dated of death should still put him in the time of the Great War and be listed as a war death on the CWGC, was Ireland different then? Cheers S.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill Woerlee Posted 6 June , 2007 Share Posted 6 June , 2007 Steve G'day mate Your man, 818 Pte John O'NEILL was what is now classed as "collateral damage". It appears that between 10am and 12 noon, 6 March 1921, as a civilian, he was driving towards Dublin along Malahide Road in the Clontarf district of County Dublin. Malahide itself is a pretty seaside town about 16km north of Dublin. In the car was his friend, George O'Dowd of Drumcondra, who also was a civilian. As they were driving next to a long stone wall n the road front by the property of Sir Andrew Porter heading towards the front gate, it was the same day which Sin Feinn planned an ambush. Their target was a regular military vehicle which passed that point almost daily. As the military car approached the ambush point, O'Neill's car approached from the opposite direction. As the two cars crossed, that was also the ambush point. It was coincidental but fatal. The Sinn Feinn guerillas let loose with a hail gunfire coupled with some grenades. As soon as the military driver saw the danger, he sped up and so missed the ambush. Not so for O'Neill who was caught in the ambush and killed instantly. His friend George O'Dowd was shot in the arm. So the fellow was not the target of the attack but he was no less dead than if he had been. Cheers Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian turner Posted 6 June , 2007 Share Posted 6 June , 2007 Does that mean this former soldier or was he a serving soldier when killed? And "Killed in an ambush" must mean he was as a soldier of some type and not a civiy. S.B Steve, Page 56 at top states: 'died after discharge' Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenbecker Posted 6 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 6 June , 2007 Bill, Thanks mate that clears it up nicely. The letter should have read former soldier rather then soldier. Fine work there mate. S.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny_doyle Posted 19 February , 2010 Share Posted 19 February , 2010 I know this is an old thread but had the opportunity to look at the Irish Times archive for 7th March 1921 which carried an item about the ambush. O'Neill (aged 40ish) was living at 42c Great Brunswick St, Dublin (now Pearse Street). He was working as the chauffeur for Edward McGrath (a tea merchant) driving a party to Portmarnock Golf Course for a game. Thomas Shannon, a pro golfer working at Portmarnock Gold course was in the front passenger seat; McGrath, Joseph O'Dowd and George Beattie were in the back of the car. O'Neill was shot in the head and stomach and died on the scence. O'Dowd was wounded in the arm. Both were taken to the Mater Hospital. The driver of the miltary vehicle which was the intended victim escaped unharmed. McGrath Brothers (Tea) Ltd was based on Batchelor's Walk, Dublin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil@basildon Posted 19 February , 2010 Share Posted 19 February , 2010 I noticed that the next of kin on the attestation papers had an Irish address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny_doyle Posted 19 February , 2010 Share Posted 19 February , 2010 yes, she was at 56 Brunswick St. http://www.aif.adfa.edu.au:8080/showPerson?pid=228551 His address was actually 42c Brunswick St not Great Brunswick St as I put earlier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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