PRIVATE PATRICK BYRNE, KINGSTOWN, CO. DUBLIN -22140 - 1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers

[markharrison1973]

Sorry didn't get a chance to reply before. Thanks for all your help and the additional Info. Much appreciated.
Regards
Mark

[J.F. Husson]

Dear Mark,
I live in Jambes (not that far from the cemetery) and run a FB page on "Namur and British Military History" on which your great father has already been mentioned. It will provide you with no new data as it is based (up to now) on CWGC records.
Tour great father is the only soldier of the British Army to be buried in Jambes while around 250 ones are buried on the CWGC section in the "Belgrade" municipal cemetery of Namur. By the way, a total of 422 soldiers from the Commonwealth (from botw WW1 and WW2) do rest in CWGC in the whole Province of Namur. All soldiers from Irish regiments are in the CWGC in Belgrade, except your great father, who is also the only one from the Dublin Fusiliers (linked to the fact he had been POW as I've read on this site?).
If Namur is far (+/- 80 km) from the final frontline, British, Australian and Canadian troops were the first to arrive, from around the 20th Nov. (Belgian army was at first more in northern Belgium). British units stayed a couple days or a few months in the area. A few of them stayed a few days, went to Germany for a couple months, and came back in the area. Others (notably Australians) didn't go to Germany and remained in the area between Charleroi and Namur.
Some RAMC installations (including a few Casulaty Clearing Stations) were located in Namur and in the area, dealing with wounds and illness, including from freed POW.
Analysing death dates in the records, most took place AFTER Nov. 11, 1918. Main reasons were: death from their wounds, death from illness (case for some former POW), spanish flu, accidents (some RAF technicals).
Unfortunately, I've no more detail on the military vault from Jambes at the moment.
If you have more details on your great father, we'd be glad to pay a tribute to him by writing an article on our FB page as we are planning to do for some other figures. Please let me know.
For your information:
- FB page: https://www.facebook.com/Namur1695etc/
- Article on Irish regiments in Namur: https://www.facebook.com/notes/namur-and-british-military-historyet-lhistoire-militaire-britannique/les-unit%C3%A9s-irlandaises-pr%C3%A9sentes-%C3%A0-namur-1695-ramillies-1706-et-apr%C3%A8s-larmistice/422875941470477/
- Posts on your great father: https://www.facebook.com/Namur1695etc/posts/504077363350334 (and a previous one for which I don't find the url right now).
Best regards,
Jean-François

[Nanna52]

No help with your search, but a cousin, Edwin Vincent, was reported as KIA at St Quentin 22 March, 1918.  He was wounded and taken prisoner.  In an interview (under his stage name of Edwin Beverley) in the Daily Independent dated November 11, 1933 he said that for eleven weeks they were employed burying the dead and moving ammunition on the frontline. It wasn't until late June that they were sent to a camp in Stendal.  It was after he arrived there that his family were notified that he was alive and a POW.

[markharrison1973]

Jean-François,
Thank you so much for the additional insight into what happened around that time.
There was Little known of the Family until a chance conversation with my brother then the discovery of his medal. This led to a Google Search and finding the info on his burial and the Headstone. I would love to help and give you any additional information that you need.
I'll send you a PM or alternatively I can message through the facebook link that you sent.
Regards Mark

[markharrison1973]

Does anyone know if Find my Past has Military records that Ancestry Dosen't. Ive notice that Find my past appears to have a Record for Patrick Byrne that i dont think i have in British Armed Forces, First World War Soldiers' Medical Records. dont want to spring for a subscription if its an identical record.

[MaxD]

The medical record is his 18 days in 4 Stationary Hospital in March 1916 with a dental problem.

MaxD

[markharrison1973]

Thanks for clarifying MaxD. I definitely don't have that record. Can you confirm if there is any additional personal information on the record such as a Date of Birth or Middle name. The Army records were destroyed so any info you can give would be appreciated. I found a Birth record for Patrick Joseph Byrne but the mothers name was Bridget instead of Esther which I think is a mistake but would be good to clarify. Thanks Mark

[MaxD]

No personal info just 9 Dublin Fusiliers, number 22140 Pte Byrne P, age 32, 1 and a half years service, 3 months service in France.  Date 8 March 1916 admission, discharge 25 March.

Incidentally, I had looked last year but had another try at finding his POW record without success.

I hadn't seen it mentioned before on the thread but his widow was named Mary.


MaxD

[markharrison1973]

Thanks again MaxD.
yeah his wife is Mary Breslin.
Lots of info on her family on another thread here -

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=552451.0

Ive done quite well getting info on the Breslins