Have you a Tipperary Medal?

[museumtom]

Hi guys.

I live in Tipperary and I am writing a book on the casualties of Tipperary in WW1. I have two medals of unfortunates from this county who died in the Great War.

Today I was at a fair in Dublin and I asked a dealer if he had any medals to the casualties from Tipperary. He said he had none for sale but he did have some in his private collection. I asked him if he would be so gracious as to give me some pictures of the medals. He was happy to do so under the condition that he would remain anonymous which I readily agreed to. This started me thinking, if this guy has medals in his private collection then others must have some in private collections also. I appeal to any of the pals on this forum that if they have medals to a Tipperary casualty to please please let me have a picture of them. I don’t want to know who you are or where you got them I just want to include the picture under the name of the soldier and if you have any research on them I would be delighted to include it. The book will be launched next year and titled ‘Tipperary Casualties of the Great War’. I also understand that by including the pictures of the medals in this book it might increase their value but if it encourages you to participate then it is well worth it.

I hope you can help me as here in Ireland we coming to terms with the fact that Irish men fought in the War to end all Wars and were not forgotten.

If you have medals and would be willing to send me a picture of them I would be so very grateful and they would appear in the book. I don’t want names, addresses, where you got them or anything else just a picture of them. I know they exist I just want to include them. It would not have been possible to do this in the past.

Please email them to;

museumtom@hotmail.com

Kind regards.

Tom Burnell in Holycross, County Tipperary.

[MAW]

Tom,

Some information regarding a single Victory Medal once in my possession and named:

6123 PTE. C. CASEY. R.IR.REGT.

CHRISTOPHER CASEY served as 6123 Private, 2nd Royal Irish Regiment

BORN MITCHELSTOWN, COUNTY CORK, IRELAND c.1894.

RESIDED MITCHELSTOWN.

ENLISTED TIPPERARY, COUNTY TIPPERARY, IRELAND.

ARRIVED FRANCE 7th OCTOBER 1914.

KILLED IN ACTION AT LE PILLIE, FRANCE, 19th / 20th OCTOBER 1914 (BATTLE OF LA BASSEE).

NO KNOWN GRAVE. COMMEMORATED ON THE LE TOURET MEMORIAL TO THE MISSING.

Entitled to 1914 Star and Clasp / British War Medal / Victory Medal

Research sources:

Medal Index Card (on microfiche Casemore A.H. to Casey J.):

CASEY, C Pte 6123 R Irish Regt

Vic A/101/B2 page 292 Roll ref: WO329/944

BWM .. ..

14 St A/1 page 154 Roll ref: WO329/2439

Qualifying date 7/10/14.

Remarks: Clasp 2/2654. Clasp (14/Star) Retd (1743 KR 1912) 8153/AM.

Soldiers Died in The Great War, Royal Irish Regt, 2nd batt, page 8:

6123 Pte kia F&F 19/10/14

Born: Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, Ireland.

Lived: Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, Ireland.

Enlisted: Tipperary, Co. Tipperary, Ireland.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Debt of Honour Register:

Christopher Casey

Private

6123

2nd Bn., Royal Irish Regiment

who died on

Monday, 19th October 1914. Age 20.

Additional Information

Son of Martin and Ellen Casey of Hannon’s Cottages, Heary St., Tipperary.

Commemorative Information

Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France

Panel 11 & 12

Location

Le Touret Memorial is located at the east end of Le Touret Military Cemeter, on the south side of the Bethune-Armentieres main road. Over 13,000 names are listed on the memorial of men who fell in this area before 25th September 1915 and who have no known grave.

Index to War Deaths 1914-21 Army Other Ranks, C-Cow, page 606:

Casey Christopher Pte 6123 Irish 1914

Death Certificate in Volume I.77. page 17.

Before Endeavours Fade, pages 66-67:

The Le Touret Memorial to the Missing commemorates those who fell at the Battles of La Bassee (1914), Neuve Chapelle, Aubers Ridge and Festubert (1915). There is a photograph of the memorial in `Before Endeavours Fade' (Coombs, 1990), page 67.

Casey was killed during the Battle of La Bassee (10th October to 2nd November 1914).

Locations of Units, Gould, page 19:

The Royal Irish Regiment had 9 battalions and was disbanded on 31st July 1922 when Ireland gained its independence.

The 2nd battalion went to F&F on 14 August 1914.

It went to India on 6th March 1920 and stayed there until disbandment.

The 2nd Royal Irish formed part of the 8th Brigade of the 3rd Division:

2nd Royal Irish

4th Middlesex

2nd Royal Scots

1st Gordon Highlanders (until Sept 1914)

The 8th Bde was centred around La Bascule on 21-22 August 1914. There is a memorial here to record the long, delaying stand made by the 2nd Royal Irish during the Battle of Mons 23rd August 1914 (the battalion suffered many casualties that day).

Battles and Engagements, James, pages 1-4:

8th Bde, 3rd Div engagements up to Casey’s death :

Battle of Mons 23-24th August 1914

Battle of Le Cateau 26th August

Battle of the Marne 7-10th September

Battle of the Aisne 12-15th September

Actions on the Aisne Heights 20th September

Battle of La Bassee 10th October - 2nd November

The 2nd Royal Irish Regt was transferred to Army Troops on 24/10/14 due to heavy losses sustained on 19/10/14.

Battalion War Diary, WO95/1421 (Aug 14 to Feb 15):

From Casey’s arrival in France on 7th October 1914:

7 Oct At LE TITRE

8 Oct ..

9 Oct ..

10 Oct At RAYE

11 Oct At TANGRY

12 Oct At Tangry. The battalion, as advanced guard, reached a farm south of the canal between HINGES and VIELLE. No sign of the enemy.

13 Oct To VIELLE CHAPPELLE. As reserve, billeted here. Several houses on fire and church destroyed.

14 Oct Shelled and attacked.

15 Oct Major General Hamilton (C.O. 3rd Div.) killed by a shrapnel bullet.

A draft of 5 officers and 353 ORs arrived (probably including Casey).

Advanced, captured G Trenches and drove Germans back at bayonet point.

16 Oct Dug in east of ST. VAAST

17 Oct Billeted, ST. VAAST, then billeted LE PLOUICH

The disposition of the 3rd Division on the night of 17/18th October 1914 was as follows: 7th Brigade at ILLIES, 8th Brigade at AUBERS (in reserve) and 9th Brigade at HERLIES.

18 Oct At LE ZOUICKE. Attacked LE RIEZ

19 Oct At LE RIEZ

At 2.30 pm the battalion, under the command of Major E.H.E. Daniel, was ordered to attack the village of LE PILLIE (in conjunction with a French attack on the eastern side).

At 3.00 pm B Company started the attack followed in succession by A, C and D Companies.

By 6.00 pm the western side of the village (including the railway station) had been captured but the French had been repulsed. The officer casualties during the attack were two second lieutenants killed and three captains wounded. The other rank casualties were about 150.

20 Oct

There is little evidence of the battalion's activities on this day. The battalion were cut off at Le Pillie, in an isolated position, well in advance of the British line. Major Daniel had been killed. All except four were either killed, wounded or taken prisoner by the Germans. This was from an original battalion strength on 19th Oct of 20 officers and 821 ORs.

..............................................................

Mark

[museumtom]

Hello Mark.

I only have two Victory medals to Tipperary men myself and would you believe it one of those medals is to your Pte Casey. I bought it from ebay within the last 12 months. Talk about a kawinkydink. Many thanks for the extra information.

Kind regards.

Tom.