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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Clare => Topic started by: DutchLiz on Wednesday 08 September 21 13:45 BST (UK)
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I am looking for the family of Rifleman Michael Thompson (service number 6409871) probably born in Kildysart in 1918. He served during WW2 with the 1st Bn Airborne Royal Ulster Rifles and died of wounds (27-3-1945) in my hometown Venray The Netherlands. He is buried at a CWGC in Venray and I adopted his grave. During his adult life he moved to Belfast and took the British nationality. If there is some family left in Kildysart or people who know what happened to Michael or know his family please contact me.
Kind regards, Liz :)
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Hi Liz
The links below should lead you to:
1. the civil birth record for Michael Thompson at Kildysart in 1918
2. the marriage record for his parents John Thompson and Maria Walsh at Kilmurry McMahon in 1901
3. 1911 census record of John and Maria plus three of their older children
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01qwv/
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01qww/
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01qwx/
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Thank you very much for your message Karen. And I do hope his family will notice this post. Are there some other forums where I can leave a message like this because on Facebook I couldn't find much regarding Killadysert. Kind regards, Liz
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I rather suspect that there is lots more information to be extracted from the civil records at the irishgenealogy.ie website. Thompson is not such a common family name in Co Clare, so that makes your task much easier.
Then for all things to do with County Clare including Kildysart (Killadysert) exploration of the Clare Library website is a must.
https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/genealog.htm
On the Genealogy Page, top left of screen, click on Forums, then it's a simple matter to join the Clare Past Forum, where you can post your query.
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Thanks again for this tip, I already registered and will continue my search. Have a niet weekend and kind regards, Liz
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I am looking for the family of Rifleman Michael Thompson (service number 6409871) probably born in Kildysart in 1918. He served during WW2 with the 1st Bn Airborne Royal Ulster Rifles and died of wounds (27-3-1945) in my hometown Venray The Netherlands. He is buried at a CWGC in Venray and I adopted his grave. During his adult life he moved to Belfast and took the British nationality. If there is some family left in Kildysart or people who know what happened to Michael or know his family please contact me.
Kind regards, Liz :)
When Michael Thompson was born in 1918 Ireland was one nation part of Great Britain so he would have been British from birth.
There were at least 11 children in the family- several died young or were unmarried but still possible there might be descendants.
John Thompson (alive 1926) m. Maria Walsh (c1881-31 Jan.1926)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1926/04998/4363976.pdf
1. Alice Thompson (13 Nov.1903-aft.1914)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1903/01846/1719966.pdf
2. Margaret Thompson (7 Aug.1906-1 Sept.1906)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1906/01726/1682632.pdf
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1906/05552/4557681.pdf
3. Patrick Thompson (17 Mar.1908)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1908/01651/1659118.pdf
4. John Joseph Thompson (29 Apr.1910)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1910/01567/1632280.pdf
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1910/01567/1632280a.pdf
5. Mary Thompson (4 Sept.1911-1 Apr.1937)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1911/01515/1615482.pdf
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1937/04782/4283796.pdf
6. Unnamed son (born & died 23 Sept.1912)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1912/01469/1598969.pdf
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1912/05348/4489942.pdf
7. Sarah Josephine Thompson (17 Mar.1914-aft.1937)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1914/01408/1579087.pdf
8. Peter Michael Thompson (26 June 1915)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1915/01365/1562839.pdf
9. Catherine Thompson (5 Nov.1916)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1916/01325/1547450.pdf
10. Michael Thompson (1918)
11. James Thompson (15 Sept.1919-13 Oct.1924)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1919/01229/1511478.pdf
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1924/05023/4372914.pdf
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Thanks for your message. So Michael was born British and stayed British after 1922. He sure had a lot of siblings and I will investigate them all and hopefully find a living family member. Kind regards,Liz
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Child #8 Peter also died at a young age of phthisis (tuberculosis)- at County Home in Ennis rather than at home with his family-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1935/04828/4301003.pdf
Still looking to see if I can track down the remaining children for you.
Added- not sure is this is Catherine as age is slightly off and residence is Ennis-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1934/04841/4306083.pdf
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I also found Catherine and Peter, both their ages are off a bit but I can imagine that could happen in those days. Michael had a lot of siblings but most of them died at a young age. But as soon as my registration is authorized at the library I can leave a post.
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Good luck in finding relatives of Michael Thompson :)
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Are there some other forums where I can leave a message like this because on Facebook I couldn't find much regarding Killadysert. Kind regards, Liz
Clare Peace Park is on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/Clarepeacepark/
Construction of WW2 memorial began this summer. Post 26th June "Work Commences on County Clare WW2 Memorial". Posts in May, June, July 2020 about funding for the memorial. Passing of 3 Clare WW2 veterans in a post 17th January 2021.
Royal British Legion Republic of Ireland on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/RBLROI/
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Are there some other forums where I can leave a message like this because on Facebook I couldn't find much regarding Killadysert. Kind regards, Liz
Royal British Legion Republic of Ireland on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/RBLROI/
RBLROI Facebook posts.
5th May Netherlands ambassador to Ireland phone call to veteran to mark Liberation Day.
5th July Clare WW2 memorial. Dedication ceremony planned for November.
Combined Irish Regiments Association
Second World War links including roll of honour by year. Over 70 Ulster Rifles died March 1945.
https://www.ciroca.org.uk/second-world-war-links/
Also on Facebook.
Royal Ulster Rifles on Combined Irish Regiments Association website
https://www.ciroca.org.uk/home/the-irish-regiments/royal-ulster-rifles/
Previously Royal Irish Rifles, traditional recruiting counties Antrim, Down, Louth. Originally raised at Dublin 1793.
Account of activities of 1st Battalion Ulster Rifles WW2
https://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/unit_1rur.htm
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Thanks for your replies, I will certainly leave a message on the suggested Facebook pages and than it's fingers crossed.
Kind regards, Liz
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During his adult life he moved to Belfast
Was there an address for him when he joined the regiment?
I noticed that his comrade in a neighbouring grave has name of widow & baby. No mention of anyone for Michael.
Names + brief biographical information for a few Ulster Rifles who died at same time are on a website about WW2 Northern Ireland connections. Website owner is a writer based in Belfast. He may have done more research.
1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles: Operation Varsity - Crossing the Rhine
Includes photographs of the regiment in action.
https://wartimeni.com/article/1st-battalion-royal-ulster-rifles-operation-varsity-crossing-the-rhine/
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No, there was no address. I also tried to find out if he was married but I think he was not. When I adopted his grave all the information available was provided. Born in Eire and lived in Belfast. I will try to contact the writer Scott Edgar maybe he knows more. On the website of your link I found another rifleman with the same name and also came from Belfast. Maybe they knew each other and is his family easier to find.It's a long shot but who knows. And thank you for helping me I really appreciate it. Kind regards, Liz
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On the website of your link I found another rifleman with the same name and also came from Belfast. Maybe they knew each other and is his family easier to find.It's a long shot but who knows.
Thompson is a common surname in Belfast and in Ulster generally, unlike in County Clare. I did a sample check for Thompson birth registrations in 1918, the year Michael was born. 500+ babies registered with Thompson surname in Ireland that year. 70% were registered in districts in the 6 counties of Ulster which became the state of Northern Ireland, including 183 Thompson babies registered in Belfast. (In contrast there were only 35 in Dublin, the capital of Ireland and births in other cities outside Ulster were in single figures.)
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In that case it is difficult to find out if Michael was married altough I think he was not. I found Scott Edgar on FB and left a message on messenger. Maybe he investigated more men of the 1st Bn Airborne Royal Ulster Rifles. I am not giving up yet.
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In that case it is difficult to find out if Michael was married altough I think he was not. I found Scott Edgar on FB and left a message on messenger. Maybe he investigated more men of the 1st Bn Airborne Royal Ulster Rifles. I am not giving up yet.
There were very few marriages in Ireland (Irish Free State from 1922 then Republic of Ireland or Ireland) with a bridegroom named Michael Thompson in the short timeframe when "your" Michael may have married. (Michael and Thompson weren't common name combinations in Ireland. Your Michael was the only one born in the whole of Ireland in 1918.) The marriage registrations can be viewed on Irish Genealogy website. It's free. You need to sign in each time you use it and prove you're not a robot. You can also search for death registrations of Michael's parents if they remained in Ireland (Irish Free State which became the Republic of Ireland) and died before 1970. That search would take longer and may be inconclusive.
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en
Birth, marriage and death registrations in the 6 counties of Ulster which became Northern Ireland after the partition of Ireland in 1921 are at the General Registry Office of Northern Ireland (GRONI). A search for records there is different.
Explanation:
https://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/Northern-Ireland-civil-registration.html
Irish Genealogy Toolkit is a good introduction to Irish family history. Lots of advice, tips and links.
If Michael did marry, it may have happened in Britain. It was common for young Irish people to go to Britain to work and live. The Royal Ulster Rifles did wartime training in various places in Britain.
Added: Edited information about Northern Ireland records.