Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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10663   Private Fleming McCready
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Dated added: 01/01/2016   Last updated: 12/05/2020
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth: 29/04/1890
Died: 14/03/1915 (Killed in Action)
Age: 24
Summary      
Fleming McCready was the second son of Fleming and Barbara McCready. He was born on 29th April 1890 in Tobermore. His father was a postman. Fleming McCready enlisted in Glasgow, possibly on 19th December 1914. Private Fleming McCready was serving with the 2nd Battalion of Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers) when he was killed in action on 14th March 1915.
Private Fleming McCready
Further Information
Fleming McCready was the second son of Fleming and Barbara McCready. Fleming McCready (senior) married Barbara Moore on 1st September 1885 in the district of Magherafelt.
Fleming McCready was born on 29th April 1890 in Tobermore, County Londonderry.
Family: Fleming McCready, Barbara McCready, William McCready (born 14th March 1888), Fleming McCready (born 29th April 1890), Eliza Jane McCready (born 4th February 1892), Margaret McCready (born 17th August 1894), Ellen McCready (born 16th November 1896), Mary Minnie McCready (born 10th July 1898), Martha McCready (born 5th June 1900, died 27th January 1904, age 4), Samuel Alexander McCready (born 28th April 1902), Martha McCready (born 5th February 1905).
The 1901 census lists Fleming as age 10 living with the family at house 32 in Tobermore Town, County Londonderry. His father was a postman.
Fleming McCready joined the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers around 1911.
The 1911 census does not list Fleming as living with the family at house 29 in Tobermore Town, Londonderry. In fact there is no record of Fleming in the 1911 Irish Census.
When war broke out, this regiment came from India and went to France immediately.
Medal card
Private Fleming McCready was serving with the 2nd Battalion of Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers) when he was killed in action on 14th March 1915. It is reported he was killed by a shell.
According to the local newspaper Private Fleming McCready was first Tobermore man to be killed in the war. The report also states that Private Fleming McCready w2as awarded the D.S.O., although no record of this can be found.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 18th September 1915: Tobermore Roll of Heroes
The village of Tobermore has proved its loyalty by its response to Kitchener’s call for volunteers, as fifty young men responded to the call, out of a population of some three hundred, which compares well with any other village in Ireland. The first to give his life for his King and country is a son of Mr Fleming McCready, who received intimation in March from the War Office that his son Fleming was killed in action in France. This young man joined the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers four years ago, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel P R Wood. When war broke out, this regiment came from India and went to France immediately. Private McCready was in action at once. He was mentioned in General French’s despatch for saving his officer’s life, and was awarded the D.S.O., after which he fell himself, mortally wounded by a shell. Much sympathy is felt for the father and mother for the loss of their son.
The London Gazette (No 29200), dated 22nd June 1915, lists Fleming McCready as being mentioned in despatches for saving an officer’s life.
Private McCready has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.
Fleming’s brother, William McCready, emigrated to Canada before the war. William enlisted after Fleming’s death and served with the 124th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force, service number 770031 and survived the war.
Fleming McCready (senior) died in Tobermore on 1st November 1922, aged 62.
The CWGC record Private Fleming McCready as the son of Barbara McCready, of Tobermore, Co. Londonderry, and the late Fleming McCready.
All images courtesy of Sam Hudson, Desertmartin. Information provided here is courtesy of the excellent research donated by Mr Sam Hudson
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Relevant Magherafelt Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Tobermore town Tobermore Census listing in Tobermore town 54.810710 -6.709979
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 1901 Census lists McCready family 1901 census lists Fleming as age 10 living with the family at house 32 in Tobermore Town, Londonderry
2 1911 Census lists McCready family 1911 census does not list Fleming as living with the family at house 29 in Tobermore Town, Londonderry
3 BBC - 90 years Berief details of Private Fleming McCready
4 Forum discussion (ancestry) Details of Private Fleming McCready
5 Forum discussion (GWF) Details of Private Fleming McCready
6 National Archives UK Medal Card can be purchased here
Magherafelt District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2014-2023