3rd Battalion, The Connaught Rangers

[corisande]

His death was extensively reported in the press. It seems a bit parochial not  to have recorded it on the Kinsale Memorial

 

Out of interest when was the Kinsale memorial erected and what was the background to it

 

 

[Michael Pegum]

On 15/08/2020 at 12:01, corisande said:

 

It seems a bit parochial not  to have recorded it on the Kinsale Memorial

 

 

The memorial is in Kinsale (Old Abbey) graveyard and, apparently, it is to those who are buried there. It seems the graves are unmarked.

[corisande]

13 minutes ago, Michael Pegum said:

The memorial is in Kinsale (Old Abbey) graveyard and, apparently, it is to those who are buried there. It seems the graves are unmarked.

 

Thanks Michael, that puts the memorial in perspective.

 

So if the graves are not marked, do they not have CWGC recognition somewhere. Am i right in thinking that the plaque with the 15 names is in fact the CWGC grave marker for the graveyard

[JJH]

I am not sure what you are saying. There monument in the Abbey Graveyard is erected to those Rangers who died in Kinsale, not at the front.  12 men dying on home service seems a lot!! There is a separate monument to those who died at the front, but that's a whole different story.  

[Michael Pegum]

The CWGC website says:

"There are 14 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war here. 12 of these are men of the Connaught Rangers, whose names are inscribed on a single Special Memorial near the entrance. There is also 1 Commonwealth burial of the 1939-1945 war here, but his grave cannot now be identified and he is commemorated by a Special Memorial headstone."

 

The 12 Connaught Rangers (all 3rd. Battalion) must be men who died in training accidents or of disease, and are buried in unmarked graves within the churchyard. I don't know if this was a larger number than would be expected. The war diary may mention them, and the dates of death are all on the memorial.

 

The three non-Connaught Rangers men in the graveyard were all from Scilly, Kinsale, and probably died of wounds after returning home.

[JJH]

That is not quite true, two of incidents, involved drowning. One very sad incident, when a 15 year old drummer boy died. Diagnosed with epilepsy he was about to be discharged and confinded to the military hospital. He was told not to take a bath. Unfortunately, he didn't follow the order and was found drowned in a bath. He was originally from Tuam.

Edited 17 August , 2020 by JJH

[Michael Pegum]

I should have said 'accidents while in training', i.e. while stationed in the Kinsale area.

[Gaillimh1]

Fred Lewin was the younger son of Frederick Thomas Lewin of Cloghans House and brother to Brigadier General Arthur Corrie Lewin. His older brother Tom owned Castlegrove House, Tuam that was burned to the ground in July 1922. Arthur inherited the family home Cloghans House in 1904 a few miles away. Fred was buried in Kilmaine Church of Ireland graveyard in the family vault. Excerpt below from the funeral report in the Tuam Herald.

[Gaillimh1]

That is a sad story about the 15 year old boy. Do you know his name?

[Gaillimh1]

Fred H. Lewin, Connaught Rangers is remembered in the Law Library memorial.

[Michael Pegum]

 

That is actually the memorial of the Dublin University Club on Stephen's Green. There are biographies of all those named, and those on the Kildare Street Club's memorials, in my book 'Our Fallen Members' (available in libraries!). 

 

Edited 23 August , 2020 by Michael Pegum

[Anthony466]

Can anyone help me understand something about the 3rd Connaughts? I have this document of re-enlistment of my great grandfather, Williasm Flynn. It is dated 1889 and he states he has already served 14 years in 3rd Connaughts. So when exactly was it founded?

thanks

anthony

[Jervis]

3 hours ago, Anthony466 said:

Can anyone help me understand something about the 3rd Connaughts? I have this document of re-enlistment of my great grandfather, Williasm Flynn. It is dated 1889 and he states he has already served 14 years in 3rd Connaughts. So when exactly was it founded?

thanks

anthony

Hi Anthony

Strictly speaking the Connaught Ranger were formed in the Army reforms of 1881. However its roots stretch back much further than that. Pre 1881, the 3rd Battalion of the Connaught Rangers was known as the “South Mayo rifles Militia” founded in 1793. 

Jervis

Edited 8 February , 2022 by Jervis

[Anthony466]

Thanks Jervis for this. I wish I could trace the original enlistment documents, but so far no luck

 

thanks

anthony