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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: michaelOGrady on Monday 27 October 08 11:10 GMT (UK)
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Hi there
I'm trying to trace my great grandfather, William O'Grady (b1888), who was married in Huddersfield in 1908, had 2 children and then disappeared. There are several in the WW1 records but I'm not sure how to get the info I need. I believe William came across from ireland prior to 1908 and I can't find him or his father (John) in any UK census.
Anyone got any tips on where to start with WW1 records?
Cheers, Michael
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Previous thread:
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,335982.msg2166050.html#msg2166050
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The 1914 casualty is
4931 Pte William O Grady
Born Trinity Without,Waterford
Enllisted Tipperary
Resident Waterford
KIA 2nd Batt 19/10/14
Ady
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Hi Ady
Wow, what great information!! Do I have access to this too?
Cheers, Michael
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Hi Michael
The info comes from SDGW its a database produced commercially by Naval and Military Press complied by returns from peoples next of Kins in the 20s.
It has on Residence,Enlistment and place of birth plus military details and palce of death but its fraught with mistakes and omissions.A great tool to use in conjunction with CWGC and the NA site
Any other lookups just post :)
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Thanks again mmm45 ....but....SDGW? CWGC? NA? I'm new to all this, so can you explain please? And can I join/enrol on these sites free or with subscription?
Michael
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SDGW= Soldiers Died in the Great War (set of CDs- not sure of price but quite expensive)
CWGC= Commonwealth War Graves Commission (free- www.cwgc.org)
NA= National Archives, Kew (see www.nationalarchives.gov.uk - much of the military information may no longer exist or may not be available online but if you have any questions someone will be able to help)
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Thanks to both of you for the informative, speedy and very helpful information. I am much obliged.
Michael ;D
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You just missed his anniversary Michael ! :-\
Heres the medal card of O'Grady, William
Royal Irish Regiment
4931
Private
Date
1914-1920
http://www.rootschat.com/links/04mc/
In Memory of
Private WILLIAM O'GRADY
4931, 2nd Bn., Royal Irish Regiment
who died
on 19 October 1914
Remembered with honour
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=1560089
There are 162 names remembered for Royal Irish Regiment on panels 11 & 12
http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/letouretplan.jpg
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Heres their movements .......
The Royal Irish Regiment
2nd Battalion:
August 1914 : in Devonport, part of 8th Brigade, 3rd Division. Landed at Bouogne on 14 August 1914.
Virtually destroyed as a battalion near Le Pilly during the Battle of La Bassée.
24 October 1914 : transferred as Army Troops to Lines of Communication.
14 March 1915 : transferred to 12th Brigade, 4th Division.
26 July 1915 : transferred to 11th Brigade, 4th Division.
22 May 1916 : transferred to 22nd Brigade, 7th Division.
14 October 1916 : transferred to 49th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division.
23 April 1918 : transferred to 188th Brigade, 63rd Division.
> Extract from war diary
http://www.1914-1918.net/rireg.htm
Another Allied attack was planned for 19 October. The only success during this attack would lead to tragedy. The 2nd battalion of the Royal Irish captured Le Pilly, a village on Aubers Ridge, but the rest of the advance failed. The Royal Irish were dangerously isolated, but before the order to retreat could reach them they were surrounded by the Germans. Of nearly 900 men only 300 survived to surrender to the Germans.
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Hi Annie
Thank you very much for the time and effort put in to your two postings. I'm very humbled by the help on this site!.
I'm starting to wonder if my William O'Grady was the 1914 one from WW1. I'd been following a William O'Grady in Huddersfield but his death certificate (also 1914) has him married to the wrong woman (seems to be a recurring theme in our male line!! :D) and my previous research (limited in the extreme) had linked this one with the one killed in WW1, cited by yourself.
My problem is that I can't find trace of him after his 1908 marriage (Bertha Swallow, Huddersfield) and so not sure if he went to war or not. He could easily be one of the W.O'Gs in the WW1 list, but is it possible to see where enlisted from (....presumably Huddersfield)?. The CWGC does not help with DOB or with home location. Arrrrgh!!
Michael
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Have been re-reading the posts and from this one I am under the impression that you aren't sure if your William O'Grady died in WWI?:
Hi there
I'm trying to trace my great grandfather, William O'Grady (b1888), who was married in Huddersfield in 1908, had 2 children and then disappeared. There are several in the WW1 records but I'm not sure how to get the info I need. I believe William came across from ireland prior to 1908 and I can't find him or his father (John) in any UK census.
Anyone got any tips on where to start with WW1 records?
Cheers, Michael
Only those who died are listed in SDGW and CWGC databases.
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Yes, quite right, and I understand.
Since I can't find him via normal channels, I'm persuing WW1 deaths, but am lacking real data to tie him back to Huddersfield and his family. I've just reread the post title and it doesn't help!!
Michael
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4931 Pte William O Grady
Born Trinity Without,Waterford
Enllisted Tipperary
Resident Waterford
KIA 2nd Batt 19/10/14
Hi Michael ... I just followed the William Ady gave you ! ......
He could have gone back to Ireland after 1908 ( maybe he married twice and Bertha was his first wife ) and enlisted there .... unless you get his service records ... it's hard to find where soldiers enlisted unless they were a casualty ! ....
I'll keep looking though and see what else I can see !
Annie :)
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Michael
Have you an address or area of Huddersfield? Ive checked the West Riding Regiment which was a major recruiter from Hudds but no O Gradys theres a William O Grady West Yorkshire Regiment which may be a possibility??
Ady
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Good morning Ady
William's marriage certificate to Bertha Swallow on 1st August 1908 shows him at 10 Quarry Road, Huddersfield.
Birth certificate of their son Jack on 4th January 1910 shows them at 22 Upper Quarry Road, Bradley, Huddersfield.
They had a daughter in 1911 who died in 1912 for who I haven't got certificates yet. I guess that will narrow down the address further.
Hope this helps.
Michael
PS. Were you working on this at half past midnight ...this morning??
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Hi
Yes was working on a bit of stuf this morning...Kids in bed etc all quiet!
There is an option to get in touch with the West Yorkshire Archive Service and ask if your man is on the Huddersfield Absent Voters List of 1918.
The lists arent online i had to send an email to them and got a reply about a week later on one of my queries
I know where Bradley is its between Huddersfield and Brighouse.
Ill do a search on Grady and O Grady on SDGW see if theres any local area hits.
Ady :)
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Thanks Ady
The West Yorkshire Archive Service has an office in Huddersfield and I'll call in tomorrow with that query.
Michael :)
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Hi Ady
Couldn't wait. Just returned from the Library. William wasn't on the list of absent voters either as O'Grady or Grady.
I did go on to the Burgess Roll and discover that he was resident at 22 Upper Quarry Rd until the 1912-13 edition. Someone else appears at that address in the next edition. I'm presuming, since women didn't have the vote then, that his wife and child moved from the house (assuming he enlisted) or that the entire family moved on. Hmmmmmm
Cheers, Michael :)
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My great grandfather from Co.Waterford was William O Grady.He may have had military training.He was involved with the I.R.A..Kept a low profile.He was married also to an Alice Dunne.I wonder if it could be the same person.His fathers name was William not John.Cant find any record of him any place.