Cecil Duffy - Army/RIC

[markdrogers99]

My great grandfather was Captain Cecil Duffy (MC). I obtained his marriage certificate which indicated that in June 1915 he was stationed at the Curragh Camp as a Corporal with the 8th Royal Irish Hussars.

Would anyone know what he may have been doing at the Curragh Camp with the 8th Royal Irish Hussars?

His final commission was with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. After serving in the 1st and heading to France in 1918 where the 1st was changed to 26th (Service) bat, I understand that he could have been transferred to the 3rd (based on a record of his will being returned in March 1920) and based here in Ireland.  Would anyone know anything of this and where they could have been based? I have heard Limerick though have no firm confirmation. (apologies - I know a little off topic).

Mark

Moderator Note - posts split from : Curragh Camp. Regiments

[aghadowey]

My great grandfather was Captain Cecil Duffy (MC). I obtained his marriage certificate which indicated that in June 1915 he was stationed at the Curragh Camp as a Corporal with the 8th Royal Irish Hussars.

Would anyone know what he may have been doing at the Curragh Camp with the 8th Royal Irish Hussars?
...

See topic on Armed Forces board-
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,557769.msg4104731.html#msg4104731

[markdrogers99]

Hi Chris - was that for me? or for additional information for others in order to help assist with my questions?

Apologies I am new to this and unsure if I have posted incorrectly.

Many thanks,

Mark

[aghadowey]

Not sure who Chris is  but I posted the link to direct people to the other thread. Unfortunately threads like this soon become very confusing with so many different queries.

[markdrogers99]

Can anyone help me?  I'm looking for info on my great grandfather, Cecil Duffy (born approx 1888), who I believe was with the RIC from March 1920 until July 1922.  I unfortunately do not know where he was based in Ireland.  He more than likely had with him his wife, Amy Duffy, and young daughter, Betty Frances Annie Duffy.

I have paid £25 to the Police Museum (see link below) to have a record provided though to date I have not received an acknowledgment to my payment/emails (paid 19 September 2011).

http://www.psni.police.uk/index/about-us/police_museum/museum_genealogy.htm

Any help /advice appreciated!

Mark


Moderator note - posts split from Royal Irish Constabulary, Complete List?

[corisande]

He would appear to be a Black & Tan, born circa 1888 in Australia.

I assume he joined up in Australia to fight in WW1. In which case you can get his Australian service record online

[markdrogers99]

Hi Corisande.  To be honest I dont know where he was born (not record in Australia or UK). He served with the British Army from 1910 to 1922, as the UK Ministry of Defence still has his service file (has a P/ number) - which I have applied for.  He did say on the 1911 England census that he was born in Melbourne, Australia, though he was stationed in India with the 8th Royal Irish Hussars at the time.  Funny you mention Australia as he was the only solider on the 1911 census to say born in Australia (not sure if he was just being funny or if this was true). He was then stationed in the Curragh Camp in 1915 with the  8th Royal Irish Hussars (cited from his UK marriage cert to Amy Pengelly from Looe, Cornwall).  He then served with 1st Royal Welsh Fus as a commissioned officer from 1918 - 1920. From 1920 I guess he was commissioned to the RIC in Ireland as the emmigration ship record to Australia in August 1922 indicated his (and wife/daughter) last permanent country of residence was Ireland.

In Australia he signed up with the Australian Army in 1939 during WW2 and on his Australian service record he indicates that he was born in Plymouth, England (though no record of birth through UK GRO).

As you can see am at a lose to understand where he was born with all the conflicting information.

Appreciate your insight into this.

Mark

[corisande]

Mark

You are getting into quite deep water with this if all you say is correct. My thoughts are

1. He certainly said he was born Aus when he joined RIC. I would think that was correct, so you will have to find birth record in Aus. It has to be done on a state by state basis

2. Use shipping records on Ancestry and FindMyPast to see if you can pick him up going either way

3. Try posting on the RIC forum - click for RIC info people there tend to have more specialist knowledge

4. With his background he could have been in Auxiliaries. I had a quick look but my list is not alphabetic and I did not see him. Someone on the RIC forum has an easier to look up list

5. Your deep water is that you say he was in British Army until 1922. In virtually every case they could not be in both army and RIC. But if he were on half pay list or unemployed list it was possible. Other option is intelligence.

6. It takes MOD over a year to get you a record now.

7. Go to London Gazette online and interrogate for Cecil Duffy or C Duffy. You need to use his full name. to see if you can get more about when he actually resigned his commission.
    Do the same thing on Google. And on Tines Archives online. Different OCR give different results

8. I assume you have got his Medal Index card and looked for a service record on Ancestry

Keep you amused for a while !

[corisande]

On looking at his Medal Index card, I see he had MC - you can find the citation for that online

He gives his address on the card as Melbourne Australia

He appears to have landed in France 11 Nov 1914

Commissioned  27 Mar 1918