n Thomas (Tommy) Dowdall, Royal Irish Rifles

[stuartmcb]

I am looking for information on Rifleman Thomas (Tommy) Dowdall, Royal Irish Rifles. While undergoing training in 1914 he was accidentally shot in the head. Despite this he was later sent to the front where he was again wounded and hospitalise in Ireland. Here the story becomes confused. For some reason he apparently was classified as a deserter. He is believed to have died in 1919. His mother continued in her attempts to have the charge of Desertion cleared and in 1929 the charge was withdrawn. On his medal card stamped 1929 he is described as being in the Royal Irish Fusiliers. He is listed on Newtownards War memorial, despite having been born in Magherafelt. Can anyone help to clarify the matter?

[swizz]

Hi Stuarty

There are a number of Tommy Dowdalls in the Medal Index Cards, but none serving with the RIR or RI Fusiliers. I wonder is there any way of confirming his date of death?

Swizz

[Guest Margaret Mooney]

Hi Stuarty

There are a number of Tommy Dowdalls in the Medal Index Cards, but none serving with the RIR or RI Fusiliers. I wonder is there any way of confirming his date of death?

Swizz

I have Tommy Dowdall's death Certificate, birth cert, and a copy of his Medal Card.

The Medal Card Index has him as Thomas Dowdell, R Fusiliers, I think. Medal Card says Pte No 3/9595 Royal Irish Rifles.

A friend also ordered me Tommy's records at The National Archives.

They may have been added lately, as I tried to get them before.

Although my mother was only four when he died, she remembered Tommy in her house in the Ards Peninsula, polishing his buttons etc.

The family at one time had a photo of Tommy with other soldiers.

The death cert says Tommy died 26th Nov. 1919 at Springmount St Belfast aged 22 ex soldier.

Birth cert says Tommy was born 13th Nov 1896, Market St Magherafelt. Parents Andrew Dowdall and Mary (Henry) Dowdall.

My mother was born Sept 1915 and Tommy was probably her father.

She said he mostly lived with her family in the Ards Peninsula, as Tommy and his mother could not live in Belfast because of the "Troubles". His father died when Tommy was very young.

Mum thought Tommy was buried in Mount St Joseph's Graveyard, Ballycran, Co Down, but I have not been able to confirm this.

Lennox

[Black Watch]

I found a similar thing while researching R.I.F. men with numbers close to my Great Uncle (10071). I asked about it on here, but no-one seemed to know the answer.

 

An example; 10073 Edward Kenny. If you look him up on N/A there are 2 cards for him. one for RIF and one for RIR

 

Neil