| Henry McNally was the second son of James and Catherine McNally. James McNally married Catherine McCullagh on 20th January 1892.
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| Henry McNally was born on 1st February 1896 in Draperstown.
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| Family: James McNally (died 1st September 1900), Catherine McNally (died 1st June 1903), James McNally (born 28th March 1894), Henry McNally (born 1st February 1896), William McNally (born 16th May 1897), Mary McNally (born 9th May 1899).
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| The 1901 census lists Henry as age 5 living with the family at house 21 in Boncran Glebe, Bancran, County Londonderry. His mother was a widow.
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| It is believed his father, James McNally, died on 1st September 1900 in the Draperstown area. However, there was another James McNally, aged 67 who also died in Draperstown (2nd January 1900).
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| There was a Catherine McNally who died on 1st June 1903, aged 43, in Draperstown. This is strongly believed to be Henry’s mother.
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| The 1911 census lists a Henry McNally, aged 14, a Roman Catholic born in County Derry, attending a boarding school in Killybegs, County Donegal. Also, the 1911 census lists a Mary McNally, aged 10, a Roman Catholic born in County Derry, attending a boarding school in Londonderry Urban.
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| It seems Henry attended St Columba’s Industrial School & Boatyard in Killybegs.
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| Henry McNally enlisted in the Navy on 27th February 1914.
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| Ordinary Seaman Henry McNally was at Vivid I between 27th Feb 1914 and 9th May 1914. He then was with HMS Carnarvon between 10th May and 30th July.
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| Ordinary Seaman Henry McNally joined H.M.S. Monmouth on 31st July 1914.
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| Ordinary Seaman Henry McNally was serving on H.M.S. Monmouth when he died at sea off the coast of Chile on 1st November 1914 in the Battle of Coronel. He was 18 years old.
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| The Battle of Coronel took place on 1 November 1914 off the coast of central Chile. A Royal Navy squadron, led by Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock, were defeated by German Imperial Navy forces.
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| The flagship HMS Good Hope and HMS Monmouth were both under attack, the Monmouth under repeated battering. Reports stated that Monmouth continued to battle until her hull was riddled. The ship toppled over in the water and lay for a moment with her keel lapped by the waters, then plunged to the bottom. The Germans then closed in on the Good Hope, and after a brief battle, it too was sunk.
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| The two Royal Navy armoured cruisers were destroyed and 1,570 men killed in the battle. Only three men were injured on enemy forces. It was Britain's first naval defeat since the Battle of Lake Champlain in 1812 and shock at home to the defeat led to the sending of more ships. These ships later destroyed the German naval forces at the Battle of the Falkland Islands.
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| Henry’s brother, Private James McNally, was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers when he was killed in action on 6th March 1916.
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| Ordinary Seaman Henry McNally is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial in Devon, England.
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| The CWGC records Ordinary Seaman Henry McNally as the son of James and Catherine McNally, of Boncran, Draperstown, County Derry.
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