10th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
16/06/1888
Died:
09/08/1917 (Killed in Action)
Age:
29
Summary
James Cassidy was the son of William and Margaret Cassidy. He was born on 16th June 1888 in Kilrea. The family moved from Kilrea to Upperlands in 1893. James was part of a large family and had nine sisters and two brothers. James was a labourer. James Cassidy enlisted in Coleraine. In May 1917 he was awarded a parchment certificate for gallantry in battle. It was about this same time that he was wounded, and was home on ten days leave. Private James Cassidy was serving with the 10th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers near Ypres in August 1917. Private Cassidy was on the front line with his battalion when he killed in action near Ypres on 9th August 1917 during a heavy bombardment.
Further Information
James Cassidy was the son of William and Margaret Cassidy. William Cassidy married Margaret Mullan in the parish of Magherafelt on 8th November 1876.
James Cassidy was born on 16th June 1888 in Kilrea.
Family: William Cassidy, Margaret Cassidy, Elizabeth Cassidy (born 6th May 1877, Kilrea), William John Cassidy (born 7th November 1878, Kilrea), Annie Cassidy (born 12th December 1880, Kilrea), Martha Cassidy (born 3rd March 1883, Kilrea), Samuel Cassidy (born 16th March 1885, Kilrea), Margaret Jane Cassidy (born 11th February 1887, Kilrea), James Cassidy (born 16th June 1888, Kilrea), Mary Sarah Cassidy (born 2nd June 1890, Kilrea), Unnamed male child (born 26th March 1893, died 31st March 1893, Kilrea), Selina Cassidy (born 10th March 1894, Maghera), Bertha Cassidy (born 26th February 1896, Maghera), Emily Cassidy (born 14th March 1898, Maghera), Violet Cassidy (born 17th August 1902, Maghera).
The family moved from Kilrea to Upperlands Maghera after the death of their five day old baby boy in March 1893.
James was part of a large family and had nine sisters and two brothers.
The 1901 census records James as age 11 living with the family at house 29 in Upperlands, Swatragh, County Londonderry. James had already left school and was working as a yard boy. His father was a farm labourer.
The 1911 census lists James as age 23 living with the family at house 51 in Tirgarvil, Swatragh, County Londonderry. James was a labourer.
James Cassidy enlisted in Coleraine.
In May 1917 he was awarded a parchment certificate for gallantry in battle. It was about this same time that he was wounded, and was home on ten days leave.
Private James Cassidy was serving with the 10th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers near Ypres in August 1917. Private Cassidy was on the front line with his battalion when he killed in action near Ypres on 9th August 1917 during a heavy bombardment. He was 29 years old.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 24th August 1917:
Private James Cassidy, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Tirgarvil, Upperlands, killed in action.
Private James Cassidy has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate in Ypres
The CWGC record Private Cassidy as the son of William and Margret Cassidy, of Upperlands, Co. Derry.
James Cassidy lived in Castle Street, Ballymoney for a time. Page 230 of the book ‘Ballymoney Heroes 1914-1918’ by Robert Thompson is devoted to Private Cassidy.
