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Hello,

Here is what I know and maybe there is more help out there. My grandfather was in the 2nd. His service record was probably destroyed as I couldn't find it at Kew. I did find his medal index. He received the Mons Star, the British Medal and the Victory Medal. He enlisted on the 14th of August 1914 and was discharged as medically unfit on the 23rd of October 1916. He lived in a townhome (rowhouse?) that was built by the British government for Irish veterans in Kerry. My mother was born in the house. It appears that the occupants of the other homes were also veterans. My father has said that the one person that my grandfather spent a lot of time with was another veteran named Mickey Dugan or Duggan who had lost an arm and lived in one of the other homes.

My mother died two years ago so other than an aunt outside of London and two very distant cousins there are no other relatives. My aunt insisted that my grandfather was at Gallipoli with the 7th Munster Fusiliers and that he was wounded. Initially, she said that my grandmother received notification that he had been killed, but then he had been found alive in a trench. She has also insisted that he was in Flanders and at the Somme. Since he has the Mons Star I have to assume that he was in France or Belgium sometime before the 22/23 November 1914 which was a requirement for the medal.

The only other solid piece of information that I know is that he did not come to my parents wedding because my father's side of the family was heavily involved with the IRA.

So my questins are as follows. Could he have served in all the spots that my aunt claimed? The only plausible explanation would seem to be that he was wounded in France, recovered, was sent to Turkey, wounded again, returned to France and received another wound that rendered him unfit. Or, that he was in Europe the whole time and my aunt was mistaken.

I'm afraid that if I don't get this somewhat straightened out any knowledge about him and his service will evaporate since nobody else in my family really cares.

His name was John FitzMaurice and his regimental number was 4608.  Any help, advice or information would be wonderful. Any other information that I have I would gratefully share.

Thanks to all,

tom