Missing Grave of an Unknown Sailor

[IAFC55]

Here's a strange one.

On 16 March, 1918, the bodies of three British sailors were washed up on beaches at Balbriggan, Skerries and Gormanston, (possibly/probably all from the SS Kenmare that had been sunk on 02/03/18, some 60kms north of east from Skerries).  The one identified body, John MacAulay, that came ashore at Balbriggan was buried at Balrothery on 19/03, the two unidentified bodies were buried on 18/03, one at Skerries and the other apparently at Gormanston. All three were buried with full military honours, probably provided by the Royal Engineers who were building the airfield at Gormanston at the time. John MacAulay and the grave at Skerries are both recorded on the CWGC database and both have the traditional CWGC headstone. However, the third grave is not recorded on the  CWGC database and there appears to be no trace of it anywhere. The nearest cemetery to where the body was found is at Irishtown, has not been used for years and is on private property and we have not been able to find any records for it.

Just wondered if anyone had any ideas??

Regards

IanC

[ScouseBoy]

Maybe he was buried at sea?

If he had expressed a wish or preference to be buried at sea then I believe sailors have a right to be buried at sea.

[hallmark]

 Gormanston is still a working barracks used by the 28th Infantry Battalion,....

http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/old-army-camp-gormanston-co-6406603

Maybe contact http://www.military.ie/contact-us/  ??

[hallmark]

http://www.military.ie/info-centre/military-archives/ 

[seaweed]

I think your first move is to get hold of the last logbook and crew agreement of KENMARE official number 104278 and compare the names on the crew agreement with the names on the Deaths at Sea register. (Available from FindMyPast) I understand that 29 people were lost in this tragedy. I can find three who were passengers so I presume 26 crew members lost their life.
I have invited poster HMac to join this thread. J Macaulay was from Stornaway. Hugh (HMac) is a font of knowledge on seamen from the Western Isles. Hopefully he can make a positive contribution.

Link to last logbook and crew agreement of KENMARE.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2480748 Idealy you would need to visit Kew.

[HMac]

Hi Ian,
I see the subject of the thread has been a long time search.
I can identify 6 survivors, 22 mercantile crew dead, 2 military dead, and 3 civilians dead. Total = 33 plus 2 unaccounted for which would tally with the compliment as far as we know of 35.

I would ask first if you have obtained the last crew agreement that Seaweed has linked to so that you can cross refer between the known names that we have and those named on the agreement. The crew agreement is part of the ship's official logbook that would have been lost in the sinking but the shore copy would be used to identify casualty and deaths. That should really be your starting point here. I read somewhere, can't remember where, that three bodies were washed up all wearing partial naval uniform. If that is true then it would suggest they were from the military gunners. One of them could have been gunner Aston - there is no way of knowing as the body was not identified. I would like to think that the crew agreement would give you the missing names.

Regards
Hugh

[IAFC55]

Hi Everyone

Firstly thanks for your input.

In reply to your comments:

He was buried on land, there is a report of the burial but it does not give a clear cut location.

At the time of the burial, Gormanston airfield/camp was manned by British forces, any record of the event would have returned to the UK with them.

The purpose of the post was not to try and identify the two unidentified bodies, but to seek suggestions/ideas for locating the third grave.

Thanks again.

IanC

[hallmark]

Hi Everyone

Firstly thanks for your input.

In reply to your comments:

He was buried on land, there is a report of the burial but it does not give a clear cut location.

At the time of the burial, Gormanston airfield/camp was manned by British forces, any record of the event would have returned to the UK with them.

The purpose of the post was not to try and identify the two unidentified bodies, but to seek suggestions/ideas for locating the third grave.

Thanks again.

IanC

Was just wondering if there were any burials at the camp.... Thought it might be worth asking.