Curragh Camp. Regiments

[Duncanjack]

Thank you for replying, I have now acquired a copy of that very book.
Jackie

[Ann Kerr]

Hi Christopher

Just read your post today. My G-Grandfather, Alexander William Craig was born at Curragh Camp July 17th., 1870. His father was Thomas H. Craig, Mother Sarah Munroe Craig. Thomas and Sarah had 3 children, Sarah Born 1868 in Gunhill, Barbados, West Indies, Alexander Born 1870, Curragh Camp and Fannie Born Westville, Nova Scotia, Canada. Would there be any records at Curragh Camp stating where or when Thomas Craig was born and who his parents were.  Thomas is listed as Sgt. 2/16 Regt. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Ann
Nova Scotia, Canada

[Christopher]

Hi Ann,

Post a message on the Armed Forces board.

Regular posters on that section may be able to give you more information about the 2/16 Regiment. 

Christopher

[Mick_Dolan86]

Hi Christopher

Just read your post today. My G-Grandfather, Alexander William Craig was born at Curragh Camp July 17th., 1870. His father was Thomas H. Craig, Mother Sarah Munroe Craig. Thomas and Sarah had 3 children, Sarah Born 1868 in Gunhill, Barbados, West Indies, Alexander Born 1870, Curragh Camp and Fannie Born Westville, Nova Scotia, Canada. Would there be any records at Curragh Camp stating where or when Thomas Craig was born and who his parents were.  Thomas is listed as Sgt. 2/16 Regt. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Ann
Nova Scotia, Canada

There wouldn't be any records at the Curragh for the British Army. They are held in the PRO in London.

2/16 probably means 2nd Battalion of the 16th Regiment. Before 1881 British Infantry Regiments were known officially by their numbers. The 16th Foot became the Bedfordshire Regiment in 1881. This link gives a good general history of the regiment

http://www.bedfordregiment.org.uk/16thfoothistory.html

In fact I see they had a long association with Ireland.

[malchie1]

how do i find out if my great grandfather was in army in 1886 the reason why i think this cause the 3 chikdren 1 born in Dublin 2 in scotland and  one reason why they would move around they  where marriesdin Belfast maybe he was in 13th belfast bn regiment would this info be one their marriage cert

[Ado]

My grandfather John Joseph Murray in 20th Hussars (Pte 4825, see postcard below, probably dated Sept 1910) deserted from Curragh Camp 4th Jan 1911 with 4 others from 20th Hussars and 1 from the 2nd Connaught Rangers.  There had been 5 deserted on 2nd Jan from 2nd Conn Rangers, and 3 on 28th Dec 1910 from 2nd Conn Rangers.  The reason preserved in the family for grandfather's desertion is that another soldier had shot himself through the head and this had really unsettled many of these young men.  I cannot find a mention in the excellent record of graves at Curragh on this site of a death at that time.
 
The information about the deserters is from the Police Gazette, 17th January 1911, viewed in the National Archives - every issue of this weekly bulletin has a list of deserters on the front page (photos below), it was obviously commonplace at that time, from various barracks.  It includes absentees of course, who may have wanted family leave at this time of year. 

My grandfather was not caught - he and a younger brother fled via thier home in Workington, to the continent where they boarded a German ship bound for Australia.  They (five brothers in all) fought in the AIF at Gallipoli and in France and all survived WWI, to settle in Perth, WA.

Unfortunately I cannot find any military records of him in the 20th Hussars in the National Archives although I have his AIF records and WWII records both from the excellent Australian Army archive website.  It seems soldiers who died or deserted had no pension so their records were no preserved, unlike those who were discharged for various reasons.


Images Removed: only a small portion of an image may be posted for assistance with handwriting etc.

[LizzieW]

My grandfather (19th Hussars) was also at Curragh Camp, but he got out by somehow persuading the authorities that he was apparently a "lunatic who was dangerous to himself or others" (As defined in Army Regulations of the time).  He was sent home and straight to a mental asylum in 1906, but only 6 weeks later he was discharged.  The archivist who find out the info from the asylum told me that there was nothing written on his asylum records apart from date of entry and date of discharge and that she'd never seen records like it.

Ado - Having read the book "A Most Delightful Station: The British Army on the Curragh of Kildare, Ireland, 1855-1922" it seems that there were often suicides etc. at the camp and I wonder if my grandfather was suffering from, what today would be called, post traumatic stress disorder, which seems to tie in with what you are saying was still happening in 1910 and caused many soldiers to desert.

Lizzie

ps.  Should have said grandad was married only 1 year later and everything seemed to be normal after that.

[Pauline_Hutton]

My gt grandfather William Chamberlain was in the Curragh serving in the 6th Dragoon Guards in July 1869.

regards

pauline

[Gaille]

This is a rough guide of regiments at the Curragh Camp.
Please post if you know of other regiments giving the dates they were at the Curragh.
1805 36th Foot 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
1855 The Curragh Camp was established as a base for a brigade
1856 51st Regiment
1860 - October 1860 36th Foot 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
April 1861 36th Foot 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
31st March 1865 - 3rd August 1865 1st Batallion 24th Regiment of Foot. South Wales Borderers
1865 - 1866 85th Foot. The King's Light Infantry
22nd February 1866 - 8th August 1866 1st Batallion 24th Regiment of Foot. South Wales Borderers
1866 - 1867 85th Foot. The King's Light Infantry
1880 47th Regiment of Foot
1882 The King's Regiment (Liverpool)
Sept 1885 - Oct 1886 1st Batallion 24th Regiment of Foot. South Wales Borderers
1882 The King's Regiment (Liverpool)
1891 - 1893
1st Royal Irish; 1st Wiltshire; 2nd Gordons; 2nd Royal Welsh
Fusiliers and 36th Foot 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
1892 - 1896 15th Hussars Calvary
1912 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment
1914 2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment
1915 5th Service Battalion Jan - May Royal Field Artillery

Excellent info!
I have a photo I needed to date, its either a Manchesters, or Kings Liverpool reg so I now have narrowed a date to either 1882 or 1914 depending on the regiment, might FINALLY be able to figure out who he is now!

Gaille