Royal munster fusilier 5580

[patobrien]

Wexflyer. Unfortunately I think you are correct. I have his medal details and record card, but his service documents are not obvious and so i suspect they have gone. That said, I have learnt a tremendous amount from everyone here, so ty all.
Pat

[Andy J2022]

but I have a copy of his nomination for the award which sites Newcastle, Natal as the location and is signed by his CO.

Can you read the CO's name? That would help establish which battalion he was with in South Africa. Not a big deal but another part of the overall picture.  I believe ES Evans was CO of the 1st Battalion, and AHB Clough CO of the 2nd.

[patobrien]

Andy, ty again.
This is interesting as the nomination form is headed for the 2nd Battalion, but it is definitely signed by AHB Clough on 1 Sep 1902. The reference is WO 100/208 page 151 of 282.
You might be able to make some sense of this as i think this date is after the 2nd Battalion had departed SA.
Regards,
Pat

[Andy J2022]

Yes that would be correct. Apologies, initially I had the names the wrong way round and made the change probably while you were looking at your documentation.

[patobrien]

Andy,
Thank you for clearing that up. There's enough unknowns in this story already.
Rgds,
Pat

[Andy J2022]

From this it appears that John was with the 2nd Battalion throughout his service. That would mean that he returned to Ireland in 1902. In 1903 the 2nd bn were in Kinsale, then went to Gibraltar in 1904, then back to Limerick in 1907, followed by Tidworth 1909 and Aldershot 1913. From the information we have it's not possible to know if he remained with the colours throughout the period up to the First World War, or if he went into the Reserve for a period of time. Have you located him in the 1911 census?

[patobrien]

Andy,
No not yet. I wasn't sure if he would appear as I presumed he was still serving throughout, but if he was in the reserve then I suppose he could appear back in Haughtons Lane, Limerick where he grew up.
Pat

[dublin1850]

Bit of a trawl, but any chance he could have used his army training to be an Ordnance Surveyor?
https://census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Louth/Dunleer/Dunleer_Town/570144/

[patobrien]

1850,
Ty for your post.
His military records were all destroyed during the war so nobody can be 100% sure, but I have never heard any mention of Dunleer Town (Dunleer, Louth).
Pat