Updates this month - Magherafelt War Dead

Rifleman William McCurdy is commemorated in Finvoy Presbyterian Church.

03/05/2016

In his will he left all to his father, Alex McCurdy.

03/05/2016

In the event of my death, I give the whole of my property and effects to my Mr Alex McCurdy, father, Artnagross, Kilrea, County Antrim. Private William McCurdy, 18th Royal Irish Rifles.

03/05/2016

00728

03/05/2016

Last will and Testament of Rifleman William McCurdy dated 4th December 1917:

03/05/2016

The CWGC record Rifleman William McCurdy as the son of Alexander McCurdy of Artnagross, Kilrea, County Londonderry, and the late Anna McCurdy.

03/05/2016

Rifleman William McCurdy is buried in St. Souplet British Cemetery. St. Souplet is a village about 6 kilometres south of Le Cateau, which is a small town approximately 20 kilometres south-east of Cambrai.

03/05/2016

Rifleman William McCurdy was serving with the 12th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles when he died as a prisoner of war on the 3rd of April 1918 close to St. Souplet.

03/05/2016

Rifleman William McCurdy was involved in the retreat from the German armies in the Spring Offensive of March 1918 and was taken prisoner, although no record of this can be found on the ICRC P.O.W. website.

03/05/2016

Rifleman McCurdy then went to France in October 1915.

03/05/2016

William did his early training at Clandeboye and in July 1915 was moved across to Seaford to complete that training.

03/05/2016

William McCurdy was living in Kilrea when he enlisted in Ballymena early in the war.

03/05/2016

The 1911 census lists William as age 15 living with the family at house 5 in Artnagross, The Vow, County Antrim. William had left school and was working on his father’s farm.

03/05/2016

William father remarried. Alex McCurdy married Nancy F Fleming on 18th March 1908 in the district of Ballymoney.

03/05/2016

William’s mother, Annie McCurdy died in the Ballymoney area on 14th October 1905, aged 36.

03/05/2016

The 1901 census lists William as age 4 living with the family at house 4 in Artnagross, The Vow, County Antrim. His father was a farmer and his mother was a housekeeper. Artnagross is a townland close to Kilrea.

03/05/2016

Family: Alexander McCurdy, Annie McCurdy, Mary McCurdy (born 30th December 1888, Ballymena), George / Alexander McCurdy (born 12th April 1891, Ballymena), Robert McCurdy (born 21st November 1893, Ballymena), William McCurdy (born 23rd March 1896, Ballymena), Annie McCurdy (born 25th May 1898, Ballymena), John McCurdy (born 13th February 1900, Ballymoney), Andrew McCurdy (born 25th December 1901, Ballymoney), Thomas McCurdy (born 5th July 1905, Ballymoney).

03/05/2016

William McCurdy was born on 23rd March 1896, Ballymena. He was one of at least eight children.

03/05/2016

William McCurdy was the son of Alexander and Annie McCurdy. Alex McCurdy married Annie Dysart on 23rd November 1888 in the district of Ballymoney.

03/05/2016

00727

03/05/2016

00726

03/05/2016

The CWGC record Lieutenant Robert McCahon as the son of John McCahon of Regent Street, Kilrea, County Derry. Regent Street was renamed Maghera Street.

03/05/2016

Lieutenant Robert McCahon is also commemorated on the WW1 Roll of Honour in the 1937 Reading Room at Trinity College in Dublin.

03/05/2016

Lieutenant Robert McCahon is commemorated on the Belfast Corporation Roll of Honour Plaque in Belfast City Hall. He is also commemorated on the memorial in 1st Kilrea Presbyterian Church.

03/05/2016

Lieutenant Robert McCahon is buried in Doullens Military Cemetery Extension No 1 in France. Doullens lies approximately 30 kilometres north of Amiens.

03/05/2016

He was removed to hospital in Doullens, but he died of his wounds on 30th March 1918.

03/05/2016

Lieutenant Robert McCahon was serving with the 69th Field Company of the Royal Engineers when he was wounded by shellfire, receiving wounds to his stomach and pelvis during the German Spring Offensive.

03/05/2016

2nd Lieutenant McCahon returned to the front in September 1916. During this period he was promoted to Lieutenant.

03/05/2016

‘I have been wounded by a piece of shrapnel in the hip and have been in hospital. I was doing work in consolidating new mines in what was the German line before we blew it up. I had 150 men working in three craters for three days by the names of theatres and had an upper circle, a promenade and dugouts in the bottom we called boxes. Last night as we were about to leave a few German shells came in and made things a bit unpleasant for about a quarter of an hour.’

03/05/2016

He left for France in December 1915, attached to the 69th Field Company.

03/05/2016

Robert McCahon enlisted early in 1915. He was commissioned as a Special Reserve 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers that August.

03/05/2016

Robert was a member of the Kilrea Company, South Londonderry U.V.F. Because of his shooting prowess, he became the Company Musketry Officer.

03/05/2016

Robert joined the Unionist Party.

03/05/2016

From Trinity, Robert joined the engineering department of the Belfast City Corporation. He travelled home at the weekends and was a member of the local football team.

03/05/2016

The 1911 census lists Robert as age 12 living with the family at house 30 in Maghera Street, Kilrea, County Londonderry.

03/05/2016

Robert went on to Trinity College Dublin, where achieved a B.A.I. Degree in 1911.

03/05/2016

Robert attended Coleraine Academical Institution was both a talented scholar and sportsman, particularly shooting and football.

03/05/2016

The 1901 census lists Robert as age 12 living with the family at house 30 in Maghera Street, Kilrea. His father had a drapery shop.

03/05/2016

By the time of the 1901 census, his mother had died and the family had moved to Kilrea, County Londonderry. His father was born in County Londonderry.

03/05/2016

Known family: John McCahon, Lizzie J McCahon (born about 1879), George McCahon (born about 1881), Sarah A McCahon (born about 1884), Ella M McCahon (born about 1886), Robert McCahon (born about 1889).

03/05/2016

Robert McCahon was the son of John McCahon. Robert was born on 7th July 1888 in Texas, U.S.A.

02/05/2016

The CWGC record Private Robert James Kennedy as the son of W and Sarah Kennedy of Coleraine Street, Kilrea, County Londonderry.

02/05/2016

Robert’s younger brother, Able Seaman Perry Kennedy, served with the Royal Navy and survived the war.

02/05/2016

Private Robert J Kennedy is buried in Feuchy Chapel British Cemetery, Wancourt. Wancourt is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais. It lies in the valley of the Cojeul River nearly 2 kilometres south of the main road from Arras to Cambrai.

02/05/2016

Private Robert Kennedy was serving with the 7th Battalion of the Cameron Highlanders when he was killed in action on Sunday 10th February 1918.

02/05/2016

Robert Kennedy enlisted in Glasgow in the spring of 1917.

02/05/2016

The 1901 census lists Robert as age 7 living with the family at house 31 in Kilrea, County Londonderry. His father was a yardman.

02/05/2016

Known family: William Kennedy, Sarah Kennedy, William Kennedy (born about 1892), Robert Kennedy (born about 1894), Perry Kennedy (born about 1900)

02/05/2016

Robert James Kennedy was the second son of William and Sarah Kennedy. Robert was born in Kilrea about 1894.

02/05/2016

00725

01/05/2016

Official intimation has been received by Mr Robert Holmes, Coleraine Street, that his nephew, Corporal James Holmes, Canadian Artillery, has been killed in action. He was a son of Mr James Holmes, Glasgow, formerly of Coleraine Street, Kilrea.

01/05/2016

From the Northern Constitution dated 21st September 1918:

01/05/2016

The CWGC record Driver James Holmes as the husband of Esther Christie Liddell (formerly Holmes), of 18 Charlotte Lane, London Street, Glasgow, Scotland.

01/05/2016

Driver James Holmes is buried in Rosieres Communal Cemetery Extension. Rosieres is a village about 32 kilometres east of Amiens and 7.5 kilometres south of the main road from Amiens to St Quentin.

01/05/2016

After his death, James’ next of kin is listed as James Holmes, who was living at 410 Toronto Street, Winnipeg.

01/05/2016

Driver James Holmes was serving with the 4th Brigade of the Canadian Field Artillery when he was killed in action on 16th August 1918.

01/05/2016

James Holmes enlisted in Winnipeg on 2nd June 1915. He gave his next of kin as his mother, Matilda Holmes, who was living at 74 Dagmar Street, Winnipeg, Canada.

01/05/2016

Prior to enlisting, James Holmes was working as a machinist.

01/05/2016

James emigrated to Canada.

01/05/2016

James Holmes was the son of James and Matilda Holmes. He was born in Dungiven on 31st August 1884.

01/05/2016

00724

01/05/2016

00723

01/05/2016

00722

01/05/2016

00721

01/05/2016

00720

01/05/2016

Pioneer James Hogg

James’ oldest brother, Private Archibald Hogg, died as a result of wounds he received during the war. Archibald Hogg is reported to have died of his illness / wounds on 24th March 1919.

01/05/2016

Archibald’s younger brother, Pioneer James Hogg, also died in the war. James was serving with the 36th Signal Company of the Royal Engineers when he died on Wednesday 27th March 1918.

01/05/2016

00719

01/05/2016

00718

01/05/2016

00717

01/05/2016

00716

01/05/2016

00715

01/05/2016

00714

01/05/2016

00713

01/05/2016

00712

01/05/2016

00711

01/05/2016

Private Archibald Hogg is NOT listed with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which seems to be an oversight.

01/05/2016

Private Archibald Hogg is commemorated on the Mackay Town Hall Honour Board and also on the Sarina War Memorial in Queensland, Australia.

01/05/2016

Archibald Hogg is reported to have died of his illness / wounds on 24 March 1919.

01/05/2016

Private Archibald Hogg was serving with the 31st Battalion of the Australian Infantry when he was officially discharged on18th August 1917.

01/05/2016

The official board documentation, dated 6th August 1917, pronounced that he had developed pneumonia following a wound to the neck whilst of active service. It stated that his right lung no longer expanded.

01/05/2016

Private Hogg was returned home to Australia on board HT 'Themistocles', from Devonport, 4 May 1917. It disembarked in Australia on 4th July 1917.

01/05/2016

Private Hogg was discharged to No 2 Command Depot, Weymouth on 21st November 1916 and was placed in No 2 Convalescent Depot, Weymouth, England.

01/05/2016

While he was in hospital, Archibald had contracted pneumonia and then developed a serious lung infection.

01/05/2016

He was transferred to the 3rd London General Hospital on 25 August 1916; to the 3rd London General Stationary on 16 September 1916 and then to the 2nd Auxiliary Hospital, Southall on 17th November 1916.

01/05/2016

Private Hogg was admitted to St Andrew's Hospital, Rouen on 13th August 1916 suffering from a gunshot wound to neck and finger.

01/05/2016

The battalion then proceeded from Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force on 1st June 1916. They disembarked in Marseilles a week later on 8th June 1916.

01/05/2016

Private Hogg embarked with his unit from Brisbane on 3rd January 1916 and proceeded to join the 15th Battalion at Zeitoun, Egypt, on 7th March 1916.

01/05/2016

Archibald Hogg enlisted on 20 July 1915 in Brisbane, Queensland. He listed his Next of kin as his mother, Mrs S Hogg, Carnroe, Kilrea, Co Derry, Ireland.

01/05/2016

Prior to enlisting, Archibald was working as a labourer in the Mackay region of Queensland on the eastern coast of Australia.

01/05/2016

Archibald Hogg emigrated to Australia.

01/05/2016

The 1911 census does not list Archibald as living with the family at house 5 in Carnroe, Kilrea.

01/05/2016

The 1901 census lists Archy as age 15 living with the family at house 7 in Carnroe, Kilrea, County Londonderry. They were a farming family and Archy was working on the farm.

01/05/2016

Family: Samuel Hogg, Mary Hogg, Elizabeth Hogg (born 28th March 1884), Archibald Hogg (born 5th October 1885), Mary J Hogg (born 2nd April 1887), Martha Hogg (born 4th October 1888), Samuel Hogg (born 19th May 1890), Thomas Hogg (born 20th December 1891), James Hogg (born 28th December 1894), Torrens Hogg (born 18th May 1895), Margaret Hogg (born 4th December 1897).

01/05/2016

Archibald Hogg was born on 5th October 1885 in Kilrea. He was the oldest of nine children.

01/05/2016