Hello all,
I have just joined the site and hopefully have put this in the correct part of the forum. Firstly, I’d like to give a little bit of background information on myself. When I retired I started researching my family tree and found out that my grandfather served in WW1 with the 6th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers before being transferred to the 8th battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry during the Salonika campaign. Unfortunately, he lost his life being killed in action on the 4th September 1917. He is buried in Doiran Military cemetery in Greece.
This led me into an interest in military history and especially those soldiers, sailors and airmen from Ireland who served during WW1. I am a member of the Great War Forum and use it quite regularly which leads me into my reason for joining this forum. I recently purchased a Queens South Africa medal to P. Murphy of the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers, Service N° 904 and am at present researching this gentleman.
From initial research, Patrick Murphy was born on the 1st August 1875 in Monaghan to parents John Murphy & Margaret Flanagan having two brothers and three sisters. His father died on the 20th December 1889 and his mother on the 21st February 1897, both in Monaghan. I haven’t been able to find any service records for Patrick but I would imagine that he enlisted sometime after 1892. I haven’t been able to confirm this from his service number of 904. The other point of interest is that his medals were issued to his brother John Murphy on the 29th April 1910 who lived at Glasslough Street in Monaghan. I am presuming that he lived with his brother at this address after his discharge. His medal roll lists him as “Home for discharge”. However, I haven’t been able to find any trace of him after this date.
I was wondering if any Royal Irish Fusiliers experts on the forum could possibly tie down his date and place of enlistment. He was awarded the “Orange Free State, Transvaal and Laing’s Nek” clasps but I was wondering why he wasn’t awarded the “Talana or Defence of Ladysmith” clasps? Does this mean that he didn’t arrive in South Africa until late 1900? Any information on Patrick would be appreciated. Many thanks in advance.
George
