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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Donegal => Topic started by: City Hall on Friday 24 June 16 15:59 BST (UK)
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Hi all.
I was reading, on Military Archives Ireland website, the file relating to a Lettermacaward mother who was applying for a military pension in relation to her son, a Captain in the National Army, who was shot and killed during the Irish Civil War in 1923.In one of the letters she sends to the Irish government, she makes reference, by way of comparison, to the generous lump sum and pension received by another Lettermacaward mother whose son died in World War 1 while serving with the U S Army. My question is, does anyone know who this young man(the U S soldier) was?
Thanks.
Paul.
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The Donegal Book of Honour lists 5 men from Lettermacward who died in WWI. None had an American connection. Four were in British units and one was with the Canadians.
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Hi skirl, thanks for the reply.Can you tell me the names and townlands of the 5 men listed in the Book of Honour?
Thanks.
Paul.
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You could try writing to one of the local newspapers.
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Hi skirl,
I managed to get a look at the 5 entries in the book of honour! My first thought was that the list was incomplete and the US casualty was not recorded,but thinking about it more,maybe the lady mentioned in my original post was mistaken,and the soldier she was referring to was actually the Canadian soldier.
Hi Rathmore,
Thanks for the reply. I may well do as you suggest.From memory,I think the two main newspapers are/were The Derry Journal and The Donegal Democrat.
Paul.
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is the name of the captain mentioned in the article who died in the civil war?
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Hi rathmore.
Yes, the gentleman in question was Bernard Cannon, a Capt in the newly formed Irish National Army.He was killed 10th March 1923 during an attack on Creeslough Barracks,County Donegal by irregular forces(IRA). The claim for compensation was being made by his mother,Mary Cannon of Lettermacaward Post Office.
Paul.
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Have you been in touch with the post office at Lettermachaward, I have read they tried to close it but in 2014 they decided to keep it open the Cannon family have run the post office for more then 100 years.
They should be able to help you.
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Hi skirl,
I managed to get a look at the 5 entries in the book of honour! My first thought was that the list was incomplete and the US casualty was not recorded,but thinking about it more,maybe the lady mentioned in my original post was mistaken,and the soldier she was referring to was actually the Canadian soldier.
I have now looked at this Canadian soldier's(Patrick Joseph Flaherty) Army service record,freely available to read here,http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B3128-S009 (http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B3128-S009)
and have to contradict myself.I now believe that he is NOT the soldier Mrs Cannon was referring to,as his mother in Lettermacaward received absolutely no financial compensation whatsoever from the Canadian military or govt authorities.
So I am back to my original question,who was the Lettermacaward native who died while serving with the US forces in World War 1? Any help would be much appreciated.
Rathmore,thanks for your further suggestion.I'm not convinced the current Cannon family would necessarily be able to help me.
Paul.
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Well if it is a small place most of the people there would be able to help you, the post office will know everyone, if he was a RC serving in the army, a lot of RC did not like this. You will just have act like you know more then you do.
in the grave yard at Lettermacaward there is one grave of a first world war dead.
I am irish born in county donegal but brought up in England.
www.cwgc.org
then click on irish, then cemetry type in box Lettermacaward
strange on name mentioned.
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there is another page under see casualty records, on the same site I gave you.
Dennis Cannon, Mercantile Marine, death 21.1.1915, son of J. Cannon from Meenacurrin, Lettermacaward age 31, Fireman
picture of grave on this site. but does not say if it is Dennis Cannon grave?
he down under british that does not mean he might have change to US.
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Hi Rathmore, a couple of things to bear in mind.
The death of this soldier occurred approximately 100 years ago.Anecdotal evidence would be very hard to come by.
While locals may or may not have objected to local men serving in the British Army(I have no way of knowing) they certainly would NOT have objected to local men serving in the U S army.
U S casualties do not appear on the CWGC website, only British and Commonwealth casualties.
The one war grave in Lettermacaward cemetery is that of Dennis Cannon.
Dennis Cannon was my Grandmother's brother. He did not serve in the U S forces.
Still looking for information on this elusive gentleman.
Paul.
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Hi
This website has a database of US Casualties from WW1, I can find 64 deaths listed of Soldiers born in Ireland, most have counties or towns associated, two names listed for Donegal, one looks like he's from the village of Bridgend, the other is just Donegal. Not sure if this will help you narrow down this elusive casualty
Simon Stewart, Brigand Donegal, Ireland.
John Quinn, Donegal, Ireland
http://www.genlookups.com/gb/misc/ww1/balance/gb_misc_ww1_balance_search.html?
Joe
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Hi joemc,thanks for your reply and the info. Is the website safe to use?I'm always worried going onto a new website for the first time.
Paul.
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I don't see any issues with it, no pop ups etc.
If you have good antiviral software and a firewall on your computer you should have nothing to fear visiting any genealogy websites
Joe
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According to the County Donegal Book of Honour, during WWI 11 men from Co. Donegal died while serving in the US Army:
Samuel Birney: Ramelton
James Boyle: Burtonport
Michael Doherty: Moville
Andrew Earley: Aranmore
John Laird: Ballyshannon
Bernard McCluskey: Donegal Town
Joseph McHugh: Doochary
Thomas Meehan: Inver
John Quinn: Mully, Glenties
Simon G. Stewart: Donegal Town
John Ward: Burtonport
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Hi Joe, that is a great website,very useful,thanks for the 'heads up'.
Hi skirl, thanks for the additional information.Very helpful.As a child I used to go to Lettermacaward for my holidays.I remember always getting mixed up between Doochary(on your list) which is not part of Lettermacaward,and Dooey, which is part of Lettermacaward.
Thanks again guys.
Paul.
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This site might be able to help you
Donegal resourcs
http://donegalgenealogy.com
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Thanks rathmore. It is a very useful site. I found the 1868 marriage record of my Great grandfather and Great grandmother on it.
Thanks again.
Paul.
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came across a James Duffy but he fought in the civil war US but he was from Lettermacaward maybe this sight could help you?
http://www.69thpa.co.uk
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Thanks again rathmore. I have relatives called Duffy from Meenacarn,Lettermacaward. Wonder if he was related to them.
Regards.
Paul.
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One possible candidate, - no townland given.
Sergeant Charles McFadden, 23 years old who was a member of the 306th
Machine Gun Battalion, was killed in action in France Sept. 11 according to
a telegram received from the War Department by his sister, Mrs. James
Nichols, of Sherwood avenue, Queens Village with whom he had lived.
McFadden was born in County Donegal, Ireland, and was one of twelve
children. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles McFadden, Sr. still live in
Ireland. The deceased has three brothers in the service, two now in France
and one at Camp Devons, Mass. Charles was drafted in September 1917, and
went overseas Feb. 10.
Brooklyn Standard Union-20 October 1918
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Tree on Ancestry gives Charles McFadden d. 11 Sep 1918 in France Parents Charles McFadden and Julia Gallagher Roshin Dunfanaghy Donegal.
Charles McFadden Date of Birth: 26-Apr-1891
Registration Date: 25-May-1891
Address: Roshin Parish/District: DUNFANAGHY
Gender: Male County Co. Donegal
Denomination: Civil Record
Father: Charles McFadden Mother: Julia Gallagher
Occupation: Farmer
Informant 1: Julia McFadden
Family in Census 1901
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Donegal/Dunfanaghy/Roshin/1173299/
annclare
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Thanks docrt and annclare for your replies. Docrt, as Annclare says , Charles was from Dunfanaghy. Annclare,thanks for the additional information.
Sadly, Charles's brother Joseph was also killed in WW1 while serving in the US army.
Paul.
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Of course it is indeed a bit of a wild goose chase or should that be Wild Geese? The US WW1 records are a bit of a shambles. There is always the slight possibility that the mother of McFadden was a Gallagher from Leitir. The letter writer may have known the mother.
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Couple of McFadden families in Roshin so I believe the link above is incorrect.
This is the family in 1901 wife Julia
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Donegal/Dunfanaghy/Roshin/1173285/
And 1911 12 Children born.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Donegal/Dunfanaghy/Roshin/483846/
Charles and Julia's marriage 1878 is Registered in Dunfanaghy so assuming Julia got married in her home parish she would be a fair distance from Lettermacaward.
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That family child count looks to be spot on with regard to the original newspaper clipping. In my own research I have been bitten by my own assumptions in the past. Now I take all things as possible until ruled out mainly by the paperwork. The original letter which caused this thread had a Mrs Cannon refer to another woman from Lettermacaward. In my Irish experience people were always described by their place of origin (if known by the describer) not where they lived subsequently. I have also seen marriages where the woman wasn't married in her native parish. Times were a bit harder then for some families and servant girls especially spent long periods away from home.
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I have also seen marriages where the woman wasn't married in her native parish.
That's why I said 'assuming'