Killimor Men’s Participation in WW1
World War 1, also referred to as the First World War, the Great War and the War to End All Wars, began on 28th July, 1914, and continued until 11th November, 1918. A Peace Treaty was signed on 28th June, 1919.
Those Who Died
William Henry’s book, Forgotten Heroes, Galway Soldiers of the Great War 1914-1918, gives a comprehensive list of those who fought in this horrific conflict. Killimor men figured among them, and their details are given as follows:
Hayes, Francis Private 3819 Second Royal Munster Fusiliers
Death: 10 November 1917. Age 23
Supplementary Notes: Son of Michael & Amy Annie Hayes of Killimore, Ballinasloe.
Remembered: Tyne Cot Memorial – Zonnebeke – West – Vlaanderen – Belgium (143 to 144).
Hogan, Joseph Private 4888 Fifth Royal Irish Regiment
Death: 18 September 1915. Age 24
Supplementary Notes: Son of Thomas & Mary Hogan of Killimore.
Remembered: Doiran Memorial – Greece.
Kavanagh , Thomas Private 6220 Fifth Connaught Rangers
Death: (Salonika) 30 November 1915.
Supplementary Notes: Enlisted: Ballinasloe, Born: Killimore.
Buried: Chichester Cemetery – West Sussex – United Kingdom (1 26. 34.).
Murray, J. Leading Seaman SS/2716 HMS Erin Royal Navy
Death: 10 June 1916. Age 26.
Supplementary Notes: Son of John & Julia Murray of Flower Hill, Killimore, Ballinasloe.
Buried: Rosskeen Parish Churchyard Extensions (or Burial Ground) – Ross and Cromarty – United Kingdom (C. 386).
Staunton, John Private 11166 First Irish Guards
Death: 9 October 1917, Age 24.
Supplementary Notes: Son of Delia Staunton of Trenanerla, Killimore.
Remembered: Tyne Cot Memorial Zonnebeke –West – Vlaanderen – Belgium (10 to 11).
Thomas Starr was born in Ballinahiskeragh, Killimore, in 1892. He emigrated to America at twenty years of age and entered the Service from New York—110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division. He died September 30th 1918 and is buried at:
Plot E Row 1 Grave 5
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France.
Those Who Survived
It is known locally that at least four Killimor men served with the British Army in WW1, survived the ordeal and returned home. They are named as follows:
Jerome Reilly of Derrew, who died in December 1953, aged seventy five years and is buried in Killimor old cemetery.
Thomas Duffy, who married and reared his family in Kylemore, passed away, aged seventy one years, in July 1964, and is interred in Killimor old cemetery.
Thomas Duffy’s brother, Stephen, also served. On his return home he went to Cork where he settled down and reared a family. He passed away, aged sixty four years, in December 1955 and is interred in Cork.
Michael Houlihan (Holohan), who lived in Magheramore in 1911, and later moved to Garryard, reached the ripe old age of ninety three years, died in December 1970, and is buried in Killimor old cemetery.
Top: Trenches on the Western Front.
Middle: Royal Navy battleship HMS Irrestible sinking after striking a mine at the Battle of the Dardanelles. A British Mark IV tank crossing a trench.
Bottom: A Vickers machine gun crew with gas masks. German Albatros D.111 biplanes.
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