Missing in action?

[jksdelver]

Had William previously been missing in action

[stevej60]

Certainly look's like a possibility or the family had not recieved any letter's and made an enquiry.

[jksdelver]

Yes got to be.
I think he was in Gallipoli but will check the dates

Certainly look's like a possibility or the family had not recieved any letter's and made an enquiry.

[MaxD]

His battalion would seem to be 1st Garrison Battalion RIR which had done duty at Gallipoli and then went to Egypt.

MaxD

[jksdelver]

Thanks MaxD

His battalion would seem to be 1st Garrison Battalion RIR which had done duty at Gallipoli and then went to Egypt.

MaxD

[jksdelver]

MaxD. If I may re visit this. I am strugling  to find the war diaries prior to the date of the notice 25/02/1916 for the 1st Garrison on the big ‘A’  should I be looking for a different battalion number which would have encompassed the 1st? Looking to see where he actually was when he was possibly missing.

His battalion would seem to be 1st Garrison Battalion RIR which had done duty at Gallipoli and then went to Egypt.

MaxD

[MaxD]

There doesn't seem to be anything for that battalion prior to Egypt.  This is what Longlongtrail has to say about the battalion:
Formed in Dublin, 2 August 1915.
24 September 1915 : landed at Mudros, having sailed from Devonport on 6 September. Working parties were sent into Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, during October 1915. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the Bn was sent to Egypt, where it landed on 5 February 1916 and then remained throughout the war.
My reading of this is that the main body was at Mudros providing parties to Gallipoli and they didn't see fit to write a diary.  It may be that the working parties are mentioned in one of other of the HQ AQ diaries although I find nothing on a quick check of some.

Unless someone has a specific knowledge of who they were working for, I'd try the regimental museum https://www.royal-irish.com/contact for info on the battalion in the pre Egypt time frame.

Sorry not to be more helpful.

MaxD

PS  I meant to post earlier that as has been mentioned earlier, he may simply have failed to write home and his relatives contacted the War Office or Records Office.  "Missing in action" is a bit too definite when there is no evidence of anything.

[jksdelver]

Thanks MaxD for going the extra mile 👍

There doesn't seem to be anything for that battalion prior to Egypt.  This is what Longlongtrail has to say about the battalion:
Formed in Dublin, 2 August 1915.
24 September 1915 : landed at Mudros, having sailed from Devonport on 6 September. Working parties were sent into Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, during October 1915. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the Bn was sent to Egypt, where it landed on 5 February 1916 and then remained throughout the war.
My reading of this is that the main body was at Mudros providing parties to Gallipoli and they didn't see fit to write a diary.  It may be that the working parties are mentioned in one of other of the HQ AQ diaries although I find nothing on a quick check of some.

Unless someone has a specific knowledge of who they were working for, I'd try the regimental museum https://www.royal-irish.com/contact for info on the battalion in the pre Egypt time frame.

Sorry not to be more helpful.

MaxD

PS  I meant to post earlier that as has been mentioned earlier, he may simply have failed to write home and his relatives contacted the War Office or Records Office.  "Missing in action" is a bit too definite when there is no evidence of anything.

[jksdelver]

MaxD just looking at your reply and the date the battalion landed in Egypt and the date of notice to his wife 21 February 2016. I wonder if ‘the lack of communication’ with home was caused by their transfer between Gallipoli and Egypt.