It's Memorial Day and although both my husband Brian and I have had a number of relatives who served in the Military, including my Dad who served in the Navy during World War II, and Brian who served in Viet Nam and was wounded, I'm only aware of one who died during his service. Brian's great uncle, Edward King, died while serving with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at Gallipoli, Turkey, 21 August 1915. I had heard a number of stories about a brother of Brian's grandmother who was "killed by the Black and Tans," or "impressed into naval service" (which ended before he came of age) but I was unable to prove any of this. There was definitely no love lost on the part of Brian's grandmother toward the English!
Of the five brothers, I was able to research four of them through to their deaths with no indication of unusual death or impressment. I could find no information on the fifth brother after the 1901 census. He was not with the family in 1911, I found no marriage record, death record nor indication that he had emigrated to the US. In December of 2016 I received a Facebook message from Patrick Clarke telling me what happened to Edward. His message read:
EDWARD KING WAS KILLED IN ACTION AT SUVLA BAY IN TURKEY DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR AUGUST 1915 MY GRANDFATHER PADDY CLARKE HIS COUSIN WAS WITH HIM AT MASS AUGUST 15 TH. EDWARD TOLD HIM HE WAS GOING TO BE KILLED. HE GIVE MESSAGES AND ITEMS TO BRING HOME. MY GRAND FATHER CRIED WHEN HE SPOKE ABOUT THIS UP TO HIS DEATH.
What a gift to have this information! I was able to research Edward at Findmypast and Ancestry and discovered his death date was 21 August 1915, and his Regiment was the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 1st Battalion. He enlisted at Stanley (which I discovered through Wikipedia was "a colliery town and civil parish in County Durham, England"). His residence, however was Southmoor (back to Wikipedia..."a village in the civil parish of Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor, about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Historically part of Berkshire, the 1974 boundary changes transferred local government to Oxfordshire.") I have not been able to find him in the 1911 census, but he was likely in England at that time.
We remember this day and pray for all those who gave their lives for our freedom.
Happy Hunting and Stay Safe!
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