History of Kinsalebeg
Navy Men of Kinsalebeg

Introduction

Kinsalebeg is bordered on the southern side by the Atlantic Ocean and on the western side by the Blackwater River and Youghal Bay so it is only natural that the sea has played a big part in the lives of many people from the parish. Joining the navy was a career option chosen by many Kinsalebeg men over the centuries and we will try to retrace the steps of a group of these men particularly at the latter end of the 19^th century and leading up to World War 1. We have traced thirty Kinsalebeg men who served in the navy in this period but we believe there may be additional names to be added to this list. The place of birth given at the time of navy registration is the key source of information to identify where servicemen came from but this was not always accurate as sometimes people just gave the names of nearby towns such as Youghal or gave their latest address rather than their birth place.  However the most common difficulty in tracing navy men to a particular townland or parish were the mistakes or variations in spelling of recruiting officers as they recorded the details of new entrants at the time of registration.

Most of the thirty Kinsalebeg men spent a large part of their lives in the navy with the total accumulated years served by all of them amounting to three hundred and eighty two years or an average of thirteen years per person and at least ten men served for over twenty years. These figures include the service period of men who died or were invalided out of the navy due to injuries or illness. Three men died during their period in the navy namely Michael Moylan, Patrick Hyde and John Hyde and nine others were invalided out of the service due to injury or illness. Edward “Stoker” Lynch was one of those invalided out of the navy in 1898 and he died in 1899 as a result of the injuries he received.

            Fifteen of the thirty Kinsalebeg navy men served during the 1^st World War. This is quite a large number considering the population of the parish at that time. The 1911 census gives the total population of Kinsalebeg as six hundred and ninety nine (699) of which three hundred and sixty five (365) were male and three hundred and thirty four (334) were female. Of the three hundred and sixty five (365) males approximately one hundred and seventeen (117) were between the ages of fifteen to thirty seven years old, which would have put them in the 18 to 40 age group at the start of WW1 in 1914. At least fifteen (15) of these one hundred and seventeen (117) males were in the navy during WW1, which equates to roughly 13% of the eligible male adults of the parish. At least six Kinsalebeg men were involved in one of the biggest sea battles of all time at the Battle of Jutland, off the coast of Denmark, on the 31^st May and the 1^st June 1916. Three of these were on the HMS Centurion namely John Mahony, Michael Moylan and John Hyde. The others were John Joseph Brodie on the HMS Erin, John Kenure on the HMS Warrior and John Coyne on the HMS Conqueror. Michael Moylan died on the HMHS China at the Cromarthy naval database in Scotland on the 23^rd August 1916, which was shortly after the Battle of Jutland. The HMHS China was one of the hospital ships in support of the Battle of Jutland and Michael Moylan had been moved from HMS Centurion to the HMHS China at some date before the 23^rd August 1916 presumably after being injured or taken ill on the Centurion.

           

            There is no doubt that the political climate in Ireland changed dramatically in the period from 1914 to 1923. Many Irishmen serving in the British navy and army returned to a much changed environment after WW1, when association with anything British was viewed with suspicion in many quarters. The Home Rule Bill was passed on the 18^th September 1914 but its implementation was suspended for the duration of the war. John Redmond, leader of the Nationalist Party, and the expected 1^st Prime Minister of a new Irish Parliament, issued a call for Irish Volunteers to enlist in the British military service to assist in the war effort as he believed this would help to ensure the implementation of Home Rule after the war. There was already something of the order of 50,000 Irish people serving in the British regular army or in the reserves in the period before 1914. Some 350,000 additional Irishmen volunteered for service in the British forces during WW1 to bring the total Irish involvement to around 400,000 men of all religions and political persuasions.

The 1916 Easter rebellion against British rule did not have widespread support in Ireland at the time. The devastation being caused by WW1 was on the minds of everyone and starting another conflict with the British in Ireland at the same time was not ideal timing in many people’s opinion. However the execution of the Irish 1916 rebellion leaders utterly changed public opinion in Ireland. It was felt that the executions of so many of the rebel leaders was a needless act of savage revenge, particularly with the hundreds of thousands of Irishmen serving in British forces in the war at the time. The execution of James Connolly, while sitting in a chair due to his injuries, was viewed as a particularly barbaric event in Ireland. At this stage Home Rule was no longer sufficient for most Irish Nationalists who now wanted complete independence from Britain. Redmond’s moderate Nationalist Party was now largely overtaken by the radical Sinn Fein party and full Irish independence became the primary goal of Irish nationalists. Events later moved on to the War of Independence in Ireland (1919-1921) and the subsequent divisive Irish Civil War (1922-1923) but suffice to say that events were moving on rapidly in this volatile period.

            The Irishmen serving in the British navy and army returned to Ireland after WW1 to the above confusing climate. They had served in massive numbers for what they believed to be a noble cause during WW1 and thousands of them had died in the process. They were now returning to a situation whereby anti-British feelings were very strong and those with British connections were sometimes viewed with suspicion and mistrust. Some returning servicemen were treated like traitors or targeted as possible spies by nationalists. There are no records to indicate that the Kinsalebeg navy men returning to Ireland after WW1 came in for any particular adverse treatment even though Kinsalebeg, as it had been down the centuries from the time of the Decies, was at the forefront of  military activities during the Irish War of Independence against the British. However there is no doubt that their heroic activities in a variety of theatres from the Battle of Jutland to the Battle of the Falkland Islands have been largely “airbrushed out of history”.  We hope that the following overview of thirty Kinsalebeg navy men will go some way to at least highlighting their existence and acknowledging that their lives will not be forgotten in Kinsalebeg history.

Battle of Jutland (31^st May 1916)

The Battle of Jutland was a major naval battle of the 1^st World War which was fought on the 31^st May and the 1^st June 1916. It was fought between the British Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet, which included ships from the Australian and Canadian navies, and the German Navy’s High Seas Fleet. The battle was fought in the North Sea just off the coast of Jutland in Denmark and was the largest naval battle of the war. The German fleet was led by Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer and Franz Hipper whilst the British Grand Fleet was led by Sir John Jellicoe and Sir David Beatty. The British led Grand Fleet was by far the bigger naval force with a total of 151 combat ships in action including 28 battleships, 9 battle cruisers, 26 light cruisers, 8 armoured cruisers, 78 destroyers, 1 minelayer and 1 seaplane carrier. The German High seas Fleet on the other hand had a total of 99 combat ships including 16 battleships, 5 battle cruisers, 6 pre dreadnoughts, 11 light cruisers and 61 torpedo boats.

The result of the torrid two day sea battle was inconclusive even though both sides claimed a victory of sorts. The British Grand Fleet lost more ships and men in the battle but the Germans failed to break the dominance of the British fleet in the North Atlantic. The British Grand Fleet had losses amounting to 6094 men killed, 674 wounded and 177 captured. They also lost 17 ships including 3 battle cruisers, 3 armoured cruisers and 8 destroyers. The German High Seas Fleet had 2551 men killed, 507 wounded and lost 11 ships including 1 battle cruiser, 1 pre dreadnought, 5 torpedo boats and 4 light cruisers. The Battle of Jutland in 1916 was the last of the big naval battles of WW1 and indeed was the last ever major naval battle as air borne military attacks took an increasingly dominant role in subsequent wars.

Kinsalebeg Navy Men

            We continue the historic overview of Kinsalebeg navy men with a summary of the naval service of thirty men born in Kinsalebeg who served in the British navy in the latter end of the 19^th century or in the early part of the 20^th century incorporating WW1. It is largely a summary of their naval service from the date of registration together with some details of the ships they served on and the campaigns in which they were involved. We have included some details of their families where this information was available. Any additional information on these or other Kinsalebeg navy men would be appreciated for future publication.

Ahern, Maurice (Prospect Hall)

Name: Maurice Aherne of Prospect Hall, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.

Navy Registration Details:

Naval Base: Devonport

Registration No: 283848

Date of birth: 11^th May 1875

Place of Birth: Piltown, Waterford

Occupation: Fishing.

Date of joining: 10^th October 1896 (for 12 years)

Rating: Stoker

Service exit date: 9^th April 1914

Personal details: Height: 5ft 5ins; Hair: Dark brown; Eyes: Blue; Complexion: Sallow

Ships served in: HMS Magnificent, Howe, Emperor of India, Black Prince, Albion, Tamar, Humber, Eclipse, Britomart, Vestal , Trafalgar, Cornwallis, Majestic, New Zealand, Europa, Monmouth  (12/4/1912 – 1/01/1914).

Details: Maurice Aherne was probably born in Prospect Hall to parents Patrick Aherne (born circa 1829) & Mary Aherne (born circa 1830) and siblings Michael (born circa 1867), Kate (born circa 1870) and Mary Aherne (born circa 1873). He received the traced pension on 21^st April 1914, which meant that he had served a sufficient time period to qualify for a pension. Maurice Ahern served in the navy for approximately 18 years and served on over sixteen ships in that period until he was invalided out of the navy in April 1914. He probably received an injury or became ill during his last service on the HMS Monmouth in the period between April 1912 and January 1914 as it was noted that he was invalided at Plymouth in January 1914. He was based on land at Devonport depot (Vivid 2) from January 1914 until April 1914 when he retired from the service on pension. The HMS Monmouth was sunk by gunfire on 1^st Nov 1914 by the German armoured cruisers SMS Scharnhorst and SMS Gneisenau in the Battle of Coronel off the Chilean Coast with the loss of all lives. Maurice Aherne was lucky to have retired some months before this incident.

Broady, Patrick (Ferrypoint)

Name: Patrick Broady of Milltown Malbay & Ferrypoint

Navy Registration details:

Registration No.: 23665A

Date of birth: 10^th March 1838

Place of Birth: Milltown Malbay, Co Clare

Personal details: Height: 5ft 9ins; Hair: Dark brown; Eyes: Grey; Complexion: Sallow

Date of joining: 19^th April 1859 (for 10 years)

Date of discharge: 11^th Sept 1869 but went on to coastguard service on Vanguard until 31^st March 1877.

Ships served in:  HMS Hawke, James Watt, Russell, Duncan, Frederick William, Royal George, Valiant and Vanguard. Patrick Broady trained on the HMS Hawke and started his navy service on the HMS James Watt which was a 91-gun combined steam and sail-powered second rate naval warship. He remained on the HMS James Watt from the 19^th April 1859 until the 21^st June 1862. He then spent a period on the Russell (to Jan 1864), the Duncan (to June 1867) and the Frederick William (to Sept 1867). His period in the coastguard service started in 1867 and he served on the Royal George (to Dec 1867), the Frederick William (to Aug 1868), the Valiant (to Sept 1869) and finally spent eight years on the Vanguard from September 1869 to March 1877. The HMS Vanguard, an ironclad battleship, under the command of Captain Richard Dawkins was sunk off Wicklow Head in August 1875 as a result of a collision with the HMS Iron Duke in a thick fog. The crew of 360 men were rescued and the only casualty was the loss of the captain’s dog. Patrick Broady was serving on the Vanguard at this time but it is not clear if he was on this ship or whether there was a separate ship called Vanquard operating in the coastguard service at this time. His naval record indicates that he was on the Vanguard until March 1877 which was almost two years after the above accident.

Details:  Patrick Broady completed his naval service in 1867 and was then re-engaged to serve as H.M Coastguard on shore in the Youghal Division. He lived at Ferrypoint, Prospect Hall, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford in the house subsequently owned by the Lehane family.  He died in Prospect Hall on 4^th June 1904 aged 66 years. His wife was Catherine Brodie (born circa 1843) and their son was Joseph John Brodie (born 6^th Aug 1878) who also joined the British Navy in 1896. The name was spelled as Broady, Brodie, Brodee and Brody at different stages.

Brodie, Joseph John (Ferrypoint)

Name: Joseph John Brodie of Ferrypoint, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.

Navy Registration details:

Naval Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 182881

Date of birth: 6^th Aug 1878

Place of birth: Stated Ardmore but lived at Ferrypoint, Kinsalebeg

Occupation: Farmer

Personal details: Height: 5ft 9ins; Hair: Black later dark brown; Eyes: Brown later Grey; Complexion: Dark

Date of joining: August 1896 (aged 18)

Start rating: B2C Boy 2^nd Class

Service exit: 10^th April 1919

Ships served in: HMS Caledonia, Boscawen, Benbow, Bellona, Phaeton, Cambridge, Impregnable, Magnificient, Victorious, Ramillies, Warrior, Caesar, Diana, Theseus, Illustrious (30/7/1914-11/08/1914), Erin (WW1 12/8/1914-31/12/1918).

Details: Joseph John Brodie joined the naval service in August 1896 at eighteen years of age. He was promoted from Boy 2^nd Class in 1896 up to Ordinary seaman, then Able seaman, then Petty Officer 2^nd Class and finally Chief Petty Officer in 1915. He joined the Royal Fleet Reserve (RFR) Devonport on the 2^nd Aug 1918. He married Catherine Kelly (father was William Kelly farmer) in Piltown Church, Kinsalebeg on 13^th Aug 1908. The residence of both bride and groom was given as Ferrypoint, the celebrant was Fr Edmond Hassett and witnesses were Maurice Hallahan & Bridgid A. Kelly.  Joseph John Brodie served throughout the First World War mainly on HMS Erin. He received the traced medal on 7^th Sept 1911 and the traced pension on 5^th Sept 1918. The “traced medal” indicated that the Admiralty had checked his service record to confirm the number of years he had served and that his character had always been good. It was usually issued prior to the award of the Royal Navy Long Service Good Conduct Medal. The “traced pension” meant that he had served sufficient time to qualify for a pension.

Joseph John Brodie served on the HMS Erin throughout World War 1, having joined the ship in August 1914, and continued on the ship until December 1918. HMS Erin was a dreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy which was originally built for the Ottoman government. It was commandeered by the Royal Navy when WW1 broke out which was much to the annoyance of the Ottoman regime. On 5^th September 1914 HMS Erin joined the Grand Fleet at its principal war base at Scapa Flow in Orkney. She was part of the fourth battle squadron for a period and in October 1914 was transferred to the second battle squadron. In May 1916 she was involved in the Battle of Jutland and would have been very much in the firing line as the second battle squadron formed the head of the offensive line with the King George V, Ajax, Centurion and then the Erin in that sequence in the formation.  It is a coincidence that two adjacent ships in the Battle of Jutland had four Kinsalebeg men on board with Michael Moylan, John Mahony and John Hyde on the HMS Centurion and Joseph John Brodie aboard the HMS Erin, which was the next ship in the squadron formation. John Coyne from Kinsalebeg was also involved in this battle on the HMS Conqueror as was John Kenure on the HMS Warrior. HMS Erin was in the Grand Fleet for the remainder of WW1 but was not involved in any further major actions. 

Coyne, John (Pilltown)

Name: John Coyne of Pilltown, Co Waterford.

Navy registration details:

Naval Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 182483

Date of birth: 26^th June 1878

Place of birth: Stated Piltown Co Waterford but probably Shanacoole

Occupation: Labourer

Personal details: Height: 5ft 11ins; Hair: Brown: Eyes: Blue; Complexion: Fresh

Date of joining: 26^th July 1896 (for 12 years, aged 18 at that time)

Start rating: B2C Boy 2^nd Class

Service exit: 25^th Feb 1919

Ships served in: HMS Impregnable, Caledonia, Boscawen, Blake, Calypso, Phaeton, Cambridge, Cleopatra, Implacable, Andromeda, Theseus, Warrior, Pomone, Leviathan, Conqueror (WW1 25/2/1913-25/2/1919).

Details: John Coyne joined the naval service in July 1896 as a B2c Boy 2^nd Class.  He was promoted from B2c Boy 2^nd Class to Ordinary seaman, Able seaman, Principal Officer SCL and finally Principal Officer ICL.  He received a traced medal on the 1^st Aug 1911 and a traced pension on 13/8/1918 and 11/11/1921. He was demobilised on the 25^th Feb 1919 after WW1 and joined the New Coastguard Force service on 30^th Aug 1919. His parents were probably James & Bridget Coyne of Shanacoole and other siblings included Edmund, James, David, Annie and Patrick who was also in the naval service.

John Coyne served on HMS Conqueror from February 1913 to February 1919 and therefore served on this ship for the duration of WW1. HMS Conqueror was an Orion-class “Dreadnought” battleship which was launched in 1912. HMS Conqueror served in the 2nd Battle Squadron during the First World War and saw action at the Battle of Jutland in 1916. The Orion-class of dreadnought battleships was the first to be named super dreadnoughts due to the presence of the new 13.5-inch guns as their main armament. The four Orion class battleships namely HMS Conqueror, Monarch, Orion and Thunderer formed the Second division of the 2^nd Battle squadron in the Home Fleet in 1914. On the 27^th December 1914 HMS Conqueror was rammed by the Monarch resulting in severe damage to both ships. Conqueror was temporary repaired at Scapa Flow and Invergordon and then had major repairs at Devonport. She rejoined the 2^nd Battle squadron of the Home Fleet in March 1915.

HMS Conqueror was involved in the Battle of Jutland in May 1916 under the captaincy of Captain H.H.D Tothill. She seemed to develop engine problems during the battle and was having difficulty maintaining speed. HMS Conqueror first saw action when she fired a number of salvoes from her big 13.5” guns at a German Konig class battleship without recording any hits. The badly damaged German light cruiser Wiesbaden appeared on the horizon a little later, having been damaged severely by the battle-cruiser Invincible.  Wiesbaden was then fired at by a large number of British battleships, including the HMS Conqueror, and was sunk in a hail of gunfire. HMS Conqueror then engaged the German destroyers of the 3^rd, 6^th and 9^th flotillas, which were attacking the British fleet with torpedoes.  This was an attempt to distract the British fleet and thus allow the German fleet to escape to the south and in the process to attempt to rescue the crew of the sinking German cruiser Wiesbaden. HMS Conqueror again engaged Wiesbaden with her big 13.5” guns but no hits were recorded. This was the last action from HMS Conqueror at Jutland and the German fleet was now heading south. HMS Conqueror did not incur any damage or casualties during the Battle of Jutland. John Coyne from Piltown, Kinsalebeg was involved in the above World War 1 action on HMS Conqueror and was yet another Kinsalebeg man involved in the Battle of Jutland.

Coyne, Patrick (Shanacoole)

Name: Patrick Coyne of Shanacoole, Kinsalebeg Co Waterford

Navy registration details:

Naval Base: Devonport

Registration No.: A/9238

Date of birth: 9^th August 1892

Place of birth: Shanacoole Co Waterford

Personal details: Height: 5ft 10 ½ ins; Hair: Brown; Complexion: Dark

Date of joining: 4^th December 1916

Service exit: 28^th April 1918 or earlier?

Ships served on: HMS Alsatian.

Details: The HMS Alsatian was built as a liner in 1913 but was converted to an armed merchant cruiser in 1914. She joined the 10^th Cruiser Squadron and was initially involved in patrolling the area around the Shetland Islands. She was part of what was known as the Northern Patrol who maintained a blockade on Germany during the war. The Northern Patrol operated mostly off the coast of Scotland and the North Sea. HMS Alsatian later became the flagship for Admiral Dudley de Chair and later Vice Admiral Tucker and was one of the first ships to be equipped with the new wireless direction finding equipment. The ship returned to liner services after the war and was renamed the Empress of France. The parents of Patrick Coyne were James & Bridget Coyne of Shanacoole and other siblings included Edmund, James, David, Annie and John who was also in the navy.

Foley, Michael (Pilltown)

Name: Michael Foley of Pilltown Co Waterford.

Navy registration details:

Registration No.: 88962

Date of birth: 20^th Sept 1850

Place of birth: Piltown Co Waterford (but possibly Ballysallagh)

Occupation: Labourer

Personal details: Height: 5ft 6ins; Eyes: Blue; Complexion: Ruddy

Date of joining: 22^nd Jan 1875 (for 10 years)

Start rating: Stoker

Service exit: April 1895

Ships served on: HMS Asia, Indus, Flamingo, R. Adelaide, Belleisle, Sapphire, Cambridge, Hotspur, and what seemed to be coastguard vessels from 1888. The HMS Asia was an 84 gun warship launched in Bombay Docks in 1824.

Details:  Michael Foley commenced his naval service as a 2^nd Class Stoker and was promoted to Boatman in 1888. His initial naval service was on the HMS Indus and the HMS Asia. His last naval service was on the HMS Hotspur which ended in January 1888. He then joined the coastguard service and this concluded with a period on the ship Limerick from July 1893 to April 1895. He received a traced pension on 28^th Feb 1895. In the 1901 census it would appear that Michael Foley (aged, 56, coastguard pensioner) lived in Ballysallagh, Kinsalebeg with his wife Ellen and his sister Norah Broderick (widower) and his first cousin Catherine Lynch.

Foley, Thomas (Whiting Bay)

Name:  Thomas Foley of Whiting Bay, Co Waterford.

Navy registration details:

Naval Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 153262

Date of birth: 24^th Feb 1868

Place of birth: Whiting Bay, Waterford

Occupation: Baker

Personal details: Height: 5ft 3 ½ins; Hair: Black; Eyes: dark; Complexion: Dark

Date of joining: 24^th Feb 1890 (for 12 years)

Start rating: Stoker

Service exit: 24^th Feb 1902

Ships served on: HMS Indus, Orlando, Boomerang, Mildura, Endymion, Cambridge and Hermes.

Details: Thomas Foley served as stoker for twelve years from February 1890 to February 1902. He possibly joined the coastguard service after the completion of his naval service in 1902. His overall service record was generally reported as good or very good. Thomas Foley was however confined to “the cells” for various periods during his service for reasons not recorded. Between 1897 and October 1901 he spent a total of 42 days in the cells ranging from three day stints to a maximum of fourteen days in one case in 1899. Aside from one five day cell detention, while based on the HMS Cambridge, all the remaining disciplinary periods were imposed while he was serving on Vivid II.  Vivid II was a naval reference to periods spent on the shore base at Devonport. Disciplinary periods in the cells were imposed for all sorts of reasons from time keeping to insubordination and included many relatively trivial “offences”.

Green, Charles John (Kinsalebeg)

Name: Charles John Green of Kinsalebeg Co Waterford.

Navy registration details:

Registration No.: 26153

Date of birth: 18^th May 1849

Place of birth: Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford  

Personal details: Height: 4ft 9 ¼ ins.; Weight: 80lbs; Hair: Brown; Eyes: Hazel Complexion: Dark

Date of joining: 1^st June 1863 (Age 14)

Period signed up for: 12 years from age 18

Start rating: B2C Boy 2^nd Class

Service exit:  Unknown

Ships served on: HMS Implacable and others unknown.

Details:  The fourteen year old Charles John Green from Kinsalebeg signed up for the navy as a Boy 2^nd Class on the 1^st June 1863 at Devonport. Baptismal information was provided to navy registration on 10^th December 1860 by Rev W.E. Shaw, Vicar of Kinsalebeg, for the three children of Peter P. & Elizabeth Green of Kinsalebeg. The 1^st child (name unclear) was baptised by Rev William Wakeham curate on the 9^th Aug 1846, a 2^nd child (Charles) was baptised by Rev Arthur C Rainey curate on 10^th June 1849 and a 3^rd child (name unclear) was baptised by Rev J.P Thirkhill vicar on 28^th December 1851.

There are not much details of the naval service of Charles John Green except he was serving on the HMS Implacable in June 1863. This was according to a good reference letter issued by naval command dated the 3^rd June 1863. The HMS Implacable, a 74 gun third-rate ship of British Navy, was launched in 1795 as the French ship Duguay-Trouin. She was captured by the British on 3^rd November 1805 and renamed Implacable. She was involved in the capture of the 74-gun ship Russian Navy ship Vsevolod in the Baltic in 1808. HMS Implacable was converted to a training ship in 1855. She was based in the Hamoaze, which was in the estuary of the tidal River Tamar between the River Lynher and Plymouth Sound in England. The fourteen year old Charles John Green from Kinsalebeg commenced his training on the HMS Implacable in June 1863. In January 1865 the ship became a training ship for boys under the control of Commander Edward Hay. HMS Implacable survived in one form or another until 1949 when she was finally scuttled after a number of attempts to preserve her with multiple restorations. She was then over 150 years old and was the second oldest ship of the Navy after HMS Victory, having managed to survive a variety of conflicts from the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) to World War II (1939-1945). The stern gallery of HMS Implacable, formerly Duguay-Trouin, is still on display at the National Maritime Museum in London.

Hurley, Morris (Maurice) (Pilltown)

Name: Morris (Maurice) Hurley, Pilltown, Co. Waterford.

Navy Registration details:

Registration No.: 5770A

Date of birth: June 1837

Place of birth: Pilltown, Co Waterford

Personal details: Height: 5ft 7ins; Hair: Brown; Eyes: Blue; Complexion: Dark

Date of joining: 6^th July 1858

Period signed up for: 10 years from 1^st Nov 1859 but extended another 10 years

Start rating: Ordinary seaman

Service exit: Approx 1879 if the second ten year term was completed.

Ships served on: He started service on the HMS Royal Albert in 1858 but the ships he served on in later years are not known.

Details:  The birth place of Morris Hurley was given as Pilltown, Co Waterford when he joined the British Navy on 6^th July 1858. He signed up for 10 years continuous service from 1^st November 1859 and extended this by another ten years on 11^th December 1869. This would bring his total service to 21 years by December 1879 if he completed the second ten year term. There are no further details of his service period. He started his naval service on the HMS Royal Albert, a 121 gun sailing ship with three decks, which was launched in 1854 from Woolwich Dockyard on the Thames in what is now Greater London. She was 233 feet in length with a displacement of over 5500 tons and although designed as a pure sailing ship she was converted to a propulsion ship during construction.  Captain Francis Egerton commanded the ship when Morris Hurley initially started service in 1858.  The ship was later under the command of Captain Edward Bridges, when HMS Albert became part of the Rear-Admiral Charles Howe Fremantle’s Channel Squadron. The 1901 census has a Maurice Hurley living alone in Garranaspic, Kinsalebeg Co Waterford and he was not married. His age in the 1901 census was stated to be 50 but according to his 1837 date of birth when signing up for the navy he would have been 64 years of age in 1901. In the 1911 census a Maurice Hurley was living in Kilmaloo with his brother in-law John O’Shea (aged 52) and Margaret O’Shea nee Hurley (aged 56). Maurice Hurley was aged 67 in 1911 census, which meant that he had aged 17 years between the 1901 and 1911 census.  This was not an unusual occurrence at the time as the old-age pension was introduced in 1908 resulting in a more mature recollection of age by a number of people! The occupation of Maurice Hurley and his brother in law John O’Shea was given as agricultural labourer.

Hyde, John (Kinsalebeg)

Name:  John Hyde of Kinsalebeg Co Waterford.

Navy registration details:

Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 277751 & 3141 G

Date of birth: 16^th Sept 1873

Place of birth: Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford

Occupation: Inshore fisherman

Personal details: Height: 5ft 8ins; Hair: Black; Eyes: Blue; Complexion: Fresh

Date of joining Royal Naval Reserve: 5^th Sept 1892

Date of exit (RNR): 16^th July 1894 (joined Royal Navy)

Date of joining Royal Navy: 25^th Aug 1894 for 12 years

Start rating: Stoker

Date of exit (RN): 22^nd June 1918 (died)

Burial: Liverpool (Anfield) Cemetery with grave/memorial reference Screen Wall (North), V.R.C. 1746.

Ships served in:  HMS Taman, Howe, Hyacinth, Flora, Emerald, Highflyer and Cornwall.

Date of death: 22^nd June 1918

Details: The parents of John Hyde were Michael & Mary Hyde nee Connolly of Ferrypoint, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. There was another John Hyde of Monatrea, born 1868, who also served in the navy from 1893. John Hyde of Ferrypoint joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 5th September 1892 at the age of fourteen years. His year of birth on joining was given as 16^th September 1873 but he was actually born on 3rd February 1877, so he was only fourteen years old when he joined the Royal Naval Reserve. John Mahony, also of Monatray, joined the Naval Reserve within a few weeks of John Hyde and they both served together for two years. John Hyde spent all his period in the naval reserve on the ship Kinsale which operated mainly between the ports of Kinsale, Youghal, Cork and Dublin. There were a couple of periods where he received pass leave from the naval reserve to return home for the salmon fishing season - two periods indicated for fishing leave were 10th Jan 1893 to 14th July 8th 1893 and also 6th Jan 1894 to 14th July 1894. The last entry in his Royal Naval Reserve record was on 1st March 1895 when the naval reserve enquired at his home in Ferrypoint as to his whereabouts and his mother informed them that he had joined the “real” Royal Navy on October of the previous year. 

John Hyde joined the full British Royal Navy on 25th August 1894 at seventeen years of age. His stated date of birth on signing up was 16th Sept 1873, which would mean he was twenty one years old. However his correct date of birth was the 3rd February 1877, which meant that he was only seventeen years old when he signed up. His brother, Patrick Hyde, subsequently joined the naval service in April 1902 and served until his death in Sept 1919.  John Hyde's on board occupation was that of stoker and he rose to the position of Chief Stoker in 1908. He was initially based in Devonport at HMS Vivid II, which was the name of the Royal Naval Barracks at Devonport where naval training was carried out.  Between 1894 and 1918 he served on a variety of ships including HMS Taman, Howe, Hyacinth, Flora, Emerald, Highflyer and Cornwall. HMS Cornwall was the last ship he served on in the period January 1910 to June 1918, which included the whole period of World War 1. These ships were a variety of types and classes. HMS Howe (1885), launched 1885, was an Admiral-class battleship. The fourth Highflyer was a 2nd class cruiser launched 1898 and sold in 1921. HMS Cornwall was a Monmouth-class armoured cruiser launched in 1902 and sold in 1920. John Hyde spent most of the First World War period on the HMS Cornwall. In total he was on the HMS Cornwall from Jan 1910 to Jun 1918, with the exception of a short period from Mar 1917 to Aug 1917 when he was back at the Devonport naval base.

The following is a brief synopsis of the World War 1 activities of HMS Cornwall and John Hyde of Ferrypoint would have been involved in these missions. There is no doubt that he had been involved in many dangerous missions during his period in the navy and it would have been fascinating to hear his story of this period. We will try to at least recreate at least part of the story of his naval service until his untimely death at the age of 41 years in 1918. HMS Cornwall was in the Fifth Cruiser Squadron, also known as Cruiser Force D, in the early part of WW1 from 1914 to 1915. On the 6^th August 1914 she captured the German merchant ship Syra. The next major military action involving the HMS Cornwall was in the South Atlantic. On the 8^th of December 1914 the famous German admiral Maximilian Von Spee attacked Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands off Argentine. It appears that Von Spee was not fully aware that the British had assembled a formidable force at Stanley which included the two battle cruisers HMS Invincible and HMS Inflexible and a number of other cruisers including the HMS Cornwall, HMS Kent, HMS Carnavon, HMS Glasgow and HMS Bristol. A major sea battle followed, which was known as the Battle of the Falkland Islands, and the German navy was routed. Admiral Von Spee was killed when his flagship, SMS Scharnhorst, was sunk together with three other German ships namely SMS Nürnberg, SMS Gneisenau and SMS Leipsig. In total 2200 German sailors were lost including Maximilian Von Spee and his two sons Heinrich and Otto von Spee, who were serving on the SMS Gneisenau and the SMS Nurnberg respectively. HMS Cornwall, together with HMS Glasgow, had played a major role in the sinking of the SMS Leipzig during the above battle. HMS Cornwall received eighteen hits, but no casualties, during the battle with the SMS Leipzig. SMS Leipzig was eventually sunk with only seventeen survivors who were picked up by HMS Glasgow. The HMS Cornwall was operating off the coast of East Africa in January 1915 and was involved in operations against the German SMS Konigsberg in this period. In June 1915 her tour of duty involved action in the Dardanelles Campaign. In October 1916 she was sent to the East Indies and China Stations to protect Allied shipping from surface raiders. HMS Cornwall returned to the United Kingdom in 1917 where she was refitted. For the remainder of the war she escorted convoys between Canada and the UK.

John Hyde received the LSGC (Long Service Good Conduct) medal on the 2^nd March 1909. This was also known as the "Traced Medal" and he received a traced pension on the 12^th February 1918. John Hyde had a total of almost twenty six years service between the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Navy from 1892 to 1918. John Hyde died of natural causes on 22^nd June 1918 according to naval records. He was 41 years of age at the time and was at this point on the rank of Chief Stoker. The Court of Enquiry into his death reported as follows: “Report of C of E as to the death of this man, who died 21/22 June 1918 from natural causes”. He was based on the HMS Cornwall at the time of his death and is buried in Liverpool (Anfield) Cemetery with grave/memorial reference Screen Wall (North), V.R.C. 1746.

Hyde, John (Monatray)

Name: John Hyde of Monatrea (Monatray), Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 175619

Date of birth: 5^th June 1868

Occupation: Fisherman

Personal details: Height: 5ft 9ins; Hair: Fair; Eyes: Blue; Complexion: Fair

Date of Joining: 1^st August 1893 for 12 years

Start rating: Stoker 2^nd Class

Date of Exit: 31^st Dec 1898 (Shore purchase)

Ships served on: HMS Superb, Benbow, Katoomba?

Details:  John Hyde served as stoker on the above navy ships from Aug 1893 until Dec 1898 when he bought out his contract by means of a “shore purchase”according to naval records. Shore purchase was a reference to situations where naval staff bought their way out of their naval contract before the contract expired. Naval staff typically signed up for ten or twelve year periods and had to buy out the remainder of their contract if they wished to leave before the end of the contract period.There were in fact three John Hydes from Kinsalebeg in the British navy in the period around 1900 coming from Monatrea (Monatray), Ferrypoint and D’Loughtane respectively.

Hyde, John (D’Loughtane)

Name: John Hyde of D’Laughtane [D’Loughtane], Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.

Registration details:  

Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 295253

Date of birth: 8^th May 1880

Place of birth: Dloughtane, Co Waterford

Occupation: RNR (Royal Naval Reserve)

Personal details: Height: 5ft 9ins; Hair: Dark brown; Eyes: Grey; Complexion: Fair Marks: Tatooed man & woman on right wrist

Date of Joining: 12^th April 1900 for 12 years

Start rating: Stoker 2^nd Class

Date of Exit: 11^th April 1922

Ships served in: HMS Niobe, Triumph, Tenedos, Harrier, Defiance, Suffolk, Leander, Centurion (May 1913-Dec 1919 during WW1), Marlboro.

Details: John Hyde of D’Loughtane served a total of 22 years in the navy from 1900 to 1922. He commenced as a Stoker 2^nd Class and was promoted to Stoker Class 1, Leading stoker and eventually Principal Officer in 1916. He spent World War 1 on the HMS Centurion and saw action in the Battle of Jutland, together with a number of other Kinsalebeg men including Joseph John Brodie, John Coyne, John Kenure, John Mahony and Michael Moylan – the last two of whom were also on the HMS Centurion.

Hyde, Michael (Clashmore)

Name: Michael Hyde Clashmore, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 181473

Date of birth: 9^th September 1878

Occupation: Fishing

Personal details: Height: 5ft 3.5 ins; Hair: Red; Eyes: Brown; Complexion: Fresh

Date of Joining: Started on 24^th September 1894 (aged 16)

Start rating: B2C Boy 2^nd Class

Date of exit: 7^th June 1895 (Invalided)

Ships served on: HMS Impregnable, Ganges.

Details: Michael Hyde joined the Royal Navy at 16 years of age on the 24^th Sept 1894 as a B2C Boy 2^nd Class. He signed up for 12 years to commence on 9^th Sept 1896 which would have been his 18^th birthday. He never reached his 18^th birthday in the navy as he was invalided out of the navy on 7^th June 1895 according to records. He was serving on the HMS Ganges at the time and there were no details of why he was invalided out of the navy.

Hyde, Patrick (Ferrypoint)

Name: Patrick Hyde, Ferrypoint, Kinsalebeg Co Waterford.

Navy Registration details:

Naval Base: Devonport;

Registration No.: 300251

Date of birth: 17^th March 1882

Place of birth: Youghal, Waterford

Occupation: RNR (Royal Naval Reserve)

Personal details: Height: 5ft 6ins; Hair: Brown; Eyes: Hazel; Complexion: Fresh

Date of joining: 11^th April 1902

Period: 12 years

Start rating: Stoker

Date of exit: 25^th Sept 1919 (died)

Burial: Patrick Hyde is buried in Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery with grave/memorial reference: R.C.162.

Ships served on:  HMS Rainbow, Donegal, Monmouth, King Alfred, Amphitrite, Indus, Aeolus, Pandora, Caesar, Peony, Blenheim “Spear”.

Details: The parents of Patrick Hyde were Michael & Mary Hyde nee Connolly of Ferrypoint, Kinsalebeg , Co Waterford. Patrick Hyde joined the British Royal Navy on the 11th April 1902 when he was just over twenty years of age and having previously served in the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR). His brother, John Hyde, was also in the naval service from August 1894 until his death in June 1918.  Patrick Hyde's on board occupation was primarily that of stoker. He was initially based in Devonport at HMS Vivid II which was the name of the Royal Naval Barracks at Devonport where naval training was carried out. The Navy called shore establishments 'Ships' for some reason!  Between 1902 and 1919 he served on a variety of ships including HMS Rainbow, Donegal, Monmouth, King Alfred, Indus, Aeolus, Pandora, Caesar, Peony and Blenheim. These ships were a variety of types and classes. The HMS Peony was an Azalea class sloop launched in 1915 and sold in 1919, becoming the merchant ferry ship Ardena. The Azalea class of twelve minesweeping sloops were built under the Emergency War Programme for the Royal Navy in World War I as part of the larger "Flower Class", which were also referred to as the "Cabbage Class", or "Herbaceous Borders". The third batch of twelve ships to be ordered, in May 1915, differed from the preceding Acacia class only in mounting a heavier armament, with either 4.7 inch or 4 inch guns instead of the 12-pounders of the earlier class. They were single-screw Fleet Sweeping Vessels (Sloops) with triple hulls at the bows to give extra protection against loss when working. The HMS Blenheim was a Blake class first class protected cruiser that operated in the Royal Navy from 1890-1926. The sixth HMS Monmouth of the British Royal Navy was the lead ship of a class of armoured cruisers of 9,800 tons displacement and was built in 1901. She was sunk at the Battle of Coronel in 1914. Patrick Hyde had served on her in the earlier period of Oct 1906 to Feb 1908.

            Patrick Hyde was based in the port of Devonport (Vivid II) from September 1913 to October 1915 in the early stages of World War 1. He spent the remainder of the First World War period (from Oct 1915 to Dec 1918) on the HMS Peony. He received the LSGC (Long Service Good Conduct) medal on 31st May 1917- this was also known as the "Traced Medal". At that time he had completed fifteen years of naval service including all the WW1 period of 1914-1918 and held the rank of 1st Class Stoker. Patrick Hyde died of accidental drowning on 25^th September 1919 according to naval records. His body was found floating in the Dockyard in Malta on the 29th September 1919 where his ship HMS Blenheim "Spear" was docked. The navy report into his death records the following: “C of E [Court of Enquiry] as to the death of this rating who was last seen alive on board of “Spear” on the night of Sept 25^th 1919 & whose body was found floating in the Dockyard of Malta on 29^th Sept 1919. There is no evidence of foul play or suicide & no blame appears to be attributable to anyone”. Patrick Hyde is buried in Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery with grave/memorial reference: R.C.162. The Cemetery is about 2 kilometres south-east of Rinella, a bay and hamlet opposite Valletta across the mouth of the Grand Harbour and on the southern outskirts of the village of Kalkara.

Kenure, John (Pilltown)

Name: John Kenure of Pilltown, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 283294

Date of birth: 5^th March 1877

Occupation: Labourer

Personal details: Height: 5ft 5ins; Hair: Brown; Eyes: Blue; Complexion: Fair

Date of joining: 12^th Sept 1896 for 12 years (aged 19)

Start rating: Stoker 2^nd Class

Date of exit: 16^th April 1919

Ships served on: HMS Juno, Glory, Medea, Tenedos, Sapphire II, Skirmisher, Defiance, Warrior (6^th June 1913?- 13^th June 1916, WW1), Wallington (Violet)  (28^th Sept 1916-31^st July 1917, WW1), Actaeon (1^st Aug 1917-31^st Mar 1918, WW1), Attentive (19^th Apr 1918-9^th Dec 1918, WW1).

Details:  John Kenure joined the Royal Navy at 19 years of age and remained for 23 years as a stoker. He demobilised after WW1 and joined the New Coastguard Force on 15^th August 1919. He received the traced pension on 9^th Nov 1918. During World War 1 he served on HMS Warrior, HMS Wallington (Violet) , Actaeon and Attentive. John Kenure’s parents were probably either William & Mary Kenure of Ballyheeny or John & Mary Kenure of Prospect Hall. John Kenure spent the earlier part of WW1 as a stoker on HMS Warrior which was a Duke of Edinburgh-class armoured cruiser. She was stationed in the Mediterranean at the beginning of World War 1. She was involved in the pursuit of the German battle cruiser SMS Goeben and the light cruiser SMS Breslau at the outbreak of World War 1, but was ordered not to engage them in battle. HMS Warrior participated in the Allied attack which led to the sinking of the Austro-Hungarian light cruiser SMS Zenta in August 1914. A few days later she was on her way to Suez to defend the Suez Canal against any Turkish attack and remained there until 6 November 1914.

HMS Warrior was transferred to the Admiral Jellicoe led Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow in December 1914. She was assigned to the 1st Cruiser Squadron, which was under the overall command of Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Keith Arbuthnot. She was involved in the Battle of Jutland in the summer of 1916 in what was the last major naval engagement between surface fleets. Maritime air power took an increasingly important position relative to naval warfare after the Battle of Jutland. During the Battle of Jutland the HMS Warrior was hit by at least fifteen 28-centimetre (11 in) and six 15-centimetre (5.9 in) shells from the German battlecruiser SMS Derfflinger and four other German battleships. Warrior was heavily damaged by the German shells which caused large fires and heavy flooding on the ship. Luckily her engines continued running for long enough to allow her to withdraw from the battle zone and head west. She was taken in tow by the seaplane tender HMS Engadine, who took off her surviving crew of 743 including Kinsalebeg man John Kenure. She was abandoned in a rising sea early on 1st June 1916 when her upper deck was only 4 feet above the water and subsequently foundered. John Kenure was one of a number of Kinsalebeg men who were involved in the Battle of Jutland in 1916.

John Kenure then served on the Wallington (Violet) from 28^th September 1916 to 31^st July 1917. Wallington was the name of the Auxiliary Patrol base at Immingham on the south bank of the Humber Estuary near Grimsby. HMS Violet was the name of the patrol ship that John Kenure was serving on at the time. HMS Violet was a Violet class destroyer launched in 1897 which was reclassified as a C class destroyer in 1913 and later sold in 1920. She probably spent the war period patrolling the UK coast and there is no record of wartime activity. John Kenure was based on the HMS Actaeon from 1^st Aug 1917 until 31^st March 1918. HMS Actaeon was a shore establishment which was originally part of HMS Vernon and was a separate command after 1905. The last ship which John Kenure served on was the HMS Attentive in the period from the 1^st April 1918 to 9^th December 1918. During this period she took part in the famous Zeebrugge Raid on 23 April 1918. The Zeebrugge Raid was an attempt by the British Navy to put the key Belgian port of Zeebrugge out of commission. The port of Zeebrugge was being used by the German navy as a naval base for their U-boat submarines and small ships. This was a big danger to British shipping in the English Channel and the British plan was to scuttle three old ships at the canal entrance to the harbour to prevent German submarines from exiting. The British raid was a largely successful operation. After Zeebrugge the HMS Attentive spent a period escorting convoys to Gibraltar. She also spent a few months off Murmansk in Russia supporting British forces in the Russian Civil War.

                                       

Lenihan, John (Pilltown)

Name: John Lenihan, Pilltown, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Registration No: DA 17638

Date of Birth: 17^th March 1897

Personal details: Height: 5ft 4½ ins; Eyes: Grey; Complexion: Fresh

Tattoos: Woman & anchor on forearm, Bird on back of right hand, Heart & dagger on left forearm

Date of joining: 4^th August 1917

Date of exit: 20^th August 1923 but some record of service up to 15^th August 1930

Ships served on: HMS Victory, Europa, Egmont.

Details: At the time of navy registration John Lenihan gave his place of birth as Piltown Co Waterford and his parents as John & Ellen Lenihan.  However there are no records of this Linehan family living in Kinsalebeg in either 1901 or 1911 according to census records.  Various addresses appear in his service record over a period including 5 Seaview Cottage, Boat Strand? near Waterford, Manchester, Salford and Barry (Wales). John Lenihan served on the HMS Egmont for a period during WW1 which was probably shore based at that time. He spent quite a period of his service based in Manchester.

Lynch, Edward “Stoker” (Monatray)

Name: Edward “Stoker” Lynch of Monatray, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 281736

Date of birth: 30^th October 1871

Occupation: Seaman

Personal details: Height: 5ft 9ins; Hair: Black: eyes: Hazel; Complexion: Fresh

Date of joining: 7^th February 1896 for 12 years

Start rating: Stoker 2^nd Class

Date of exit: 31^st Dec 1897 (Invalided)

Ships served on: HMS Bellona, HMS Thrasher

Details: Edward Lynch was better known as Stoker Lynch and he was severely injured in an accident on the HMS Thrasher on the 27^th September 1897. He received a 1^st Class Albert Medal for bravery as a result if his heroic efforts in rescuing his stoker colleague James Paull. He rescued Paull from a fiery furnace after the boilers had burst when the HMS Thrasher hit the notorious Dodman Rocks in Cornwall.  He received a traced pension on 19^th Dec 1897 and was invalided out of the navy on the 31^st Dec 1897.  Stoker Lynch died on 1^st Feb 1899 in Monatray as a result of his naval injuries. He was buried with full naval honours in the graveyard of Kinsalebeg Church near Ferrypoint Co Waterford.  He was named as one of the twenty five most notable British naval personnel of the 19^th century in a list comprised in the main of Lords, Sirs, Admirals, Vice Admirals, Lieutenant Generals, Commanders and Rear Admirals.

Edward “Stoker” Lynch was the son of Thomas Lynch and Mary Nason from Carthy’s Cove, Monatray East, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.  The Lynch house was in the lower end of Carthy’s Cove above the present day house of Willie Roche. The original cottage still exists with later modifications and is located about twenty metres past Tobar Udhachta, otherwise known as St Ita’s Holy Well. Thomas Lynch married Mary Nason (born circa 1837-1839) around 1866. They had six children namely Anne (born 27^th Dec 1867), Patrick (born 9^th Feb 1870), Edward (born 4^th April 1873), Bridget (born c. 1881) and Margaret (born 28^th March 1886) plus one other daughter.

 Stoker Lynch’s actual age when he signed up for the navy was 22 years as he was born on 4^th April 1873, and not the 30^th Oct 1871 which was stated at the time of his registration. He served initially as a stoker on the HMS Bellona which was a third class cruiser launched in 1890. His naval base was Devonport near Plymouth Devon UK which was a major naval base and dockyard.  His naval record was exemplary and his end of year naval reviews from 1896 to 1898 always indicated a VG (Very Good) character reference.  In 1897 Edward “Stoker” Lynch was serving as stoker on HMS Thrasher which was a B-Class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy built by Laird & Son in Birkenhead in 1895. She was one of what was known as Quail-class destroyers and operated eventually up to the end of World War 1 before being sold off at the end of hostilities. HMS Thrasher had a displacement of 395 tons and a length of 215 feet or 66 metres. She was fitted with triple expansion steam engines generating 6300 horse power. Her armoury included 1 x QF 12-pounder guns and 2 x 18 inch (460mm) torpedo tubes. Her full complement was 63 men.

On Monday 27^th September 1897 the HMS Lynx and HMS Thrasher, with Stoker Lynch on board, set out from Devonport on a training mission primarily aimed at training stokers in the use of the new water-tube boilers, which were at that time being installed on all new naval vessels. The boats hit the dangerous Dodman Rocks off Cornwall in a fog and foundered. Stoker Lynch received his 1st Class Albert medal as a result of his heroic efforts in rescuing his colleague after the accident. The medal was awarded for “outstanding bravery displayed in rescuing a comrade”. The Albert Medal 1^st Class was the highest honour available at that time for bravery in life saving on land or sea.  Stoker Lynch was in fact the first naval seaman or person of the “lower deck”, as it was described at the time, to receive the 1^st Class Albert Medal. We have covered the history of Stoker Lynch in more detail in a separate overview.

Lynch, John (Pilltown)

Name: John Lynch of Pilltown, Waterford.

Registration details:

Base: Chatham

Registration No.: 160329

Date of birth: 15^th July 1875

Occupation: Labourer

Personal details: Height: 5ft 5½ ins; Hair: Light; Eyes: Blue; Complexion: Fair

Date of Joining: 15^th July 1893 for 12 years

Start rating: Boy 2^nd Class

Date of exit: 6^th Sept 1916 (Invalided – adenoma).

Ships served on: John Lynch served on the HMS Impregnable (1^st May 1894 – 31^st Aug 1897), Orlando, Curacoa, Cambridge, Defiance, Warspite, Howe, Pembroke I, Monarch, Sans Pareil, Vernon, Illustrious, Vernon (torpedo school), Erebus, Sapphire II, Actaeon, Blenheim, Tamar, Monmouth, Fox, Kent, Endymion, Colleen, St George, Dido (Lawford) (15^th April 1914 – 17^th March 1915), Pembroke I (18^th March 1915 – 18^th July 1915), Dido (19^th July 1915), Dido (Lightfoot) (1^st Dec 1915 – 3^rd March 1916). His final war service was spent on the HMS Pembroke (4^th March 1916 – 6^th Sept 1916). HMS Pembroke was essentially the name given to the shore barracks at Chatham & Harwich, the HMS Dido ships were essentially depot ships at Harwich during the 1^st World War so John Lynch appeared to have been stationed on depot ships for all of WW1 in the ports of Chatham (Kent) and Harwich (Essex).

Details: John Lynch joined the British Navy on his 18^th birthday on 15^th July 1893. He was invalided out of the naval service on 6^th September 1916 due to an adenoma or benign tumour having served for 23 years from 1893 to 1916. He received the traced medal/pension for his period of service and had been promoted to the position of CPO (Chief Petty Officer) by 1908. He spent a short period on the depot ship HMS Colleen towards the end of 1913 and this ship was later transferred to the new Irish Free State in 1923.

Lynch, Patrick (Monatray)

Name: Patrick Lynch of Monatray, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 166774

Date of birth: 12^th Feb 1868

Occupation: Fisherman

Personal details: Height: 5ft 9 ½ins; Hair: Brown; Eyes: Hazel; Complexion: Fresh

Date of joining: 11^th May 1892 for 12 years

Start rating: Stoker 2^nd Class

Date of exit: 31^st Dec 1919.

Ships served on: HMS Edgar, Leon, Defiant, Psyche, Temeraine, Victorious, Blake, Leander, Collingwood, Hecla, Impregnable (4^th Sep 1916? to 20^th Jan 1917, WW1), Grafton (19^th Feb 1917 to 8^th May 1919, WW1).

Details: Patrick Lynch was a brother of naval hero and 1^st Class Albert Medal holder Edward “Stoker” Lynch. He served in the navy for 27 years from 1892 to 1919 when he was demobilised after World War 1. He received a traced pension on 24^th April 1914. Patrick Lynch was the son of Thomas Lynch and Mary Nason from Carthy’s Cove, Monatray East, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford.  He married Elizabeth O’Neill in St Columbs Church, Derry on 24^th January 1904. Some of their children were born in Monatray including Mary (born c. 1905), Catherine (born 10^th June 1907) and Margaret (born 28^th May 1909). Other children were born in Derry, where Patrick Lynch was stationed for a period, including Thomas (born 28^th October 1911) and William (born 14^th June 1914). At the time of the 1911 census Elizabeth (Lizzie) Lynch, wife of Patrick, was living in Monatray with her three children Mary, Catherine and Margaret. They were living in the home of Lizzie’s mother-in-law Mary Lynch (aged 72) and Mary’s daughter Margaret (Maggie) Lynch. 

Patrick Lynch was stationed at Devonport military base (Vivid II) in the earlier part of World War 1 (Feb 1914 to Sept 1916). He spent the next period from 4^th Sept 1916 to 20^th Jan 1917) on the HMS Impregnable. The HMS Impregnable was the name given to the navy training ship in Devonport at any given time. As the training ship was replaced or changed it was always given the name HMS Impregnable. At the time of Patrick Lynch’s service on HMS Impregnable the ship was in actuality the HMS Inconstant. HMS Impregnable nee Inconstant was an iron screw frigate of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 12 November 1868 and became a training ship in 1906, renamed Impregnable II. She was the first of three steam-assisted but fully masted frigates with iron hulls, sheathed with a double layer of wood, that were built for the Royal Navy. She became the Navy's torpedo school ship in January 1922 and remained in service until she was scrapped in 1956 at which point she was 88 years old. Patrick Lynch spent the remaining period of World War 1 on the HMS Grafton and served on the ship in the period 19^th Feb 1917 to 8^th May 1919. HMS Grafton was a first class cruiser of the Edgar class. She was launched on 30 January 1892. She served in the First World War in the Dardanelles in the Gallipoli Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli which took place between April 1915 and January 1916. Patrick Lynch did not join HMS Grafton until February 1917 so would have missed the Battle of Gallipoli.  However he was not so lucky later in the year as on 10^th June 1917 the  HMS Grafton was torpedoed by a German U-boat about 280 km east of Malta.  There were no casualties but the ship was damaged in the attack and was forced to limp into the port of Malta for repairs.  Patrick Lynch was Chief Stoker on the ship at this point.

After the war Patrick Lynch was approved for discharge to the depot in Devonport (Vivid II) and the following note is recorded in his service record: “Approved discharge to Depot is to be understood that Lynch’s removal is entirely due to reduction of staff and not owing to any fault on his part”.  He was demobilised from the navy in August 1919 after a total of 27 years service.  Patrick Lynch was serving on HMS Defiance in 1897 when his brother Edward “Stoker” Lynch was involved in a major accident on board HMS Thrasher. The Thrasher ran aground on the Dodman Rocks off Cornwall. Stoker Lynch received a 1^st Class Albert Medal for bravery during this accident but he later died of his injuries. Patrick Lynch received compassionate leave in February 1899 to attend the funeral of his brother in Kinsalebeg Church.

Lynch, Patrick (Pilltown)

Name: Patrick Lynch of Pilltown, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Base: Devonport

Registration No.:  Unknown

Date of birth: 16^th Dec 1855

Personal details: Height: 5ft 6ins; Hair: Brown; Eyes: Grey; Complexion: Fresh

Date of joining: 16^th December 1873 for 10 years from age 18

Start rating: Boy 1^st Class

Date of exit: January 1875

Ships served on: HMS Daedalus, Achilles.

Details:  Patrick Lynch joined the navy as Boy 1^st Class and later moved on to Ordinary seaman 2^nd Class. He was possibly in the coastguard service before he joined the Royal Navy. There was another Patrick Lynch, from Monatrea, in the naval service around this period who was a brother of Edward Stoker Lynch. There was also a John Lynch from Pilltown in the naval service from 1893. Patrick Lynch joined the Naval Service in December 1873 for a ten year period but appeared to leave the service in January 1875 after just twelve months service as his character reference was described as very good. It is not clear why he left the naval service after such a short period. The only indication is a “Run Portland” note on his naval documents which indicates that he was not discharged but that he possibly deserted the navy. “Run or Ran” were terms sometimes used in naval ship records to denote men who had deserted. If would therefore appear that Patrick Lynch possibly jumped ship when HMS Achilles was docked in Portland on the 3^rd January 1875.

Patrick Lynch served mainly on HMS Achilles, which was an armoured frigate and apparently one of the first large warships to be built in dry dock. The HMS Achilles was built as a three masted ship but was later converted to four masts. The four masts gave her the greatest area of canvas of any warship of any nationality at the time. She served as a guard ship at Portland in the period up to 1874 when Patrick Lynch was serving on her. Shortly after this she undertook a major refit and re-armament before being stationed to Liverpool as a guard ship up to 1877 but Patrick Lynch had apparently left the navy in January 1875.

Mahony, John (Monatray)

Name: John Mahony of Monatray, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 283845 & 2973 G

Date of birth: 28^th March 1874

Occupation: Fishing

Personal details: Height: 5ft 8½ ins; Hair: Light brown; Eyes: Blue; Complexion: Fair

Date of joining Royal Naval Reserve (RNR): 8^th August 1892

Date of exit: 10^th October 1896 (Joined Royal Navy)

Date of joining Royal Navy: 10^th Oct 1896 for 12 years

Start rating: Stoker 2^nd Class

Date of exit: 31^st Dec 1919

Ships served on: HMS Jason, Amphion, Aeolus, Skipjack, Repulse, Sapphire, Blake, Leander, Centurion (22^nd May 1913 – November 1919 (WW1).

Details:  John Mahony was born on 28^th March 1874 in Monatray Co Waterford even though his naval records indicated that he was born on 22^nd December 1873. His parents were Michael Mahony and Johanna Hannigan of Monatray.  John Mahony served in the Naval Reserve for four years and in the British Navy for twenty three years. He joined the Royal Naval Reserve on the 1^st August 1892. His four year period in the Naval Reserve was mainly on the ship Kinsale, which operated on the south and east coasts of Ireland with port visits mainly to Cork, Youghal and Dublin. Throughout his period in the Naval Reserve he received an annual pass to return to home for the salmon fishing season which started in January. His time in the Naval Service coincided with that of John Hyde and they both left the Naval Service to join the Royal Navy.

John Mahony left the Naval Reserve on 10^th October 1896 and joined the Royal Navy on the same date.  He started as Stoker 2^nd Class and moved up to acting chief stoker. He received a traced medal on 18^th Oct 1911 and the traced pension on 19^th Oct 1918. He served on the HMS Centurion during the 1^st World War together with Michael Moylan also of Monatray and John Hyde of D’Loughtane. John Mahony joined the navy in 1896 whereas Michael Moylan joined the navy in 1908 but they both coincidentally joined the HMS Centurion on the same day on 22^nd May 1913 and would serve through the war together until the death of Michael Moylan in August 1916.

The HMS Centurion was a King George V class battleship and was one of four Royal Navy super dreadnought battleships built prior to WW1. She was a massive 26,000 ton battleship with an overall length of just under 600 feet. She had a top speed of 21 knots and a full complement of 782 officers and men. She was equipped with around 30 big guns ranging from 16 x 4 inch to 10 x 13.5 inch guns and 3 x 21 inch torpedo tubes.  HMS Centurion was attached to the 2^nd Battle Squadron and was involved in the Battle of Jutland on the 31st May 1916. John Mahony was involved in that battle together with Michael Moylan, John Hyde, John Coyne, John Kenure and John Joseph Brodie all of Kinsalebeg. The Battle of Jutland was the largest naval battle of World War 1 and one of the largest naval battles ever.

Mahoney, Patrick (Pilltown)

Name: Patrick Mahoney of Pilltown, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 278908

Date of birth: 28^th July 1875

Occupation: Labourer

Personal details: Height: 5ft 7ins; Hair: Brown; Eyes: Brown; Complexion: Fair

Date of joining: 8^th January 1895 for 12 years

Start rating: Stoker 2^nd Class

Date of exit: 6^th March 1896 (Invalided)

Ships served on: HMS Endymion.

Details: Patrick Mahoney only served in the British navy for eighteen months as he was invalided out of the service with a pension on the 6th March 1896. There is no record of the injury or illness suffered by Patrick Mahoney while he was on the HMS Endymion. The HMS Endymion was a first class cruiser of the Edgar class and was launched on 22 July 1891. She took part in suppressing the Boxer Rebellion in China between 1898 and 1901 but Patrick Mahoney had left the ship at this stage.  The ship later served in the First World War in the Gallipoli Campaign. In the 1901 Census a Patrick Mahoney was living in Garranaspic Kinsalebeg who may have been in the navy, even though his age would be a few years older than that given at navy registration. This Patrick Mahoney was a thirty two year old married farmer living in Garranaspic with his wife Norah (aged 31) and three children namely Richard (aged 6), Hannah (aged 4) and Mike (aged 2). The 1911 census for the same Mahoney family in Garranaspic had Patrick Mahoney as a 40 year old farmer who was married for seventeen years and they had seven children of which five were still alive. His wife Norah Mahoney was 40 years old and the children listed were Richard (aged 16), Hannah (aged 14), Nicholas (aged 12), Patrick (aged 8) and Thomas (aged 5). There is a difference in the name of the third child between the 1901 and 1911 census with one indicating Mike (1901) and the second indicating Nicholas (1911). It needs to be clarified if the above Patrick Mahoney is the same man who joined the navy in January 1895.

Moylan, Michael (Monatray)

Name: Michael Moylan of Monatray, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 238143

Date of birth: 26^th February 1890

Place of birth: Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford

Occupation: Labourer

Personal details: Height: 5ft 6ins; hair: Light brown; Eyes: Hazel; Complexion: Fair

Date of joining: 26^th Feb 1908 for 12 years

Start rating: B2C Boy 2^nd Class

Date of exit: 23^rd Aug 1916 (Died)

Ships served on: HMS Emerald, Ganges II, Magnificient, Dido, Hannibal, Hebe, Ocean, Hibernia, Victory 1, Majestic, Euryalus, Caesar, Centurion (20^th May 1913 to 23^rd Aug 1916, WW1).

Details: Michael Moylan was born on 8^th September 1888 so he was older than the age given at his naval registration which indicated he was born on the 26^th Feb 1890. His parents were Patrick Moylan (born c 1853) and Mary McCarthy (born c 1865) of Monatray Middle, other siblings included Thomas (born c 1894), Mary (born c 1896, died of TB on 21^st May 1919), William (born c 1898, died of TB on 13^th Nov 1918), Alice (born c 1900), Patrick known as Pats (born c 1904), John (born c 1907) and Maurice (born c 1908). Three of the Moylan children therefore died in the four year period from 1916 to 1919. The old Moylan home was located on the exposed area at the top of the beach at Caliso Bay and must have been a daunting home during the winter storms. The mother of Patrick Moylan Senior was Margaret Moylan who was born around 1828 and died between 1901 and 1911.

Michael Moylan joined the navy as a B2C (Boy 2^nd Class) rating and moved up to Ordinary Seaman and then Able Seaman on 21^st Oct 1909 at which point he was serving on the HMS Ocean, a pre-dreadnought battleship, which was sunk by a mine in 1915. He joined the HMS Centurion as an Able Seaman on 20^th May 1913 and served on it during WW1. The HMS Centurion was a King George V class battleship and was one of four Royal Navy super dreadnought battleships built prior to WW1. She was a massive 26,000 ton battleship with an overall length of 597ft 6in which is around 100 feet longer than the pitch in Croke Park. She had a top speed of 21 knots and a full complement of 782 officers and men. She was equipped with around 30 big guns ranging from 16 x 4 inch to 10 x 13.5 inch guns and also had 3 x 21 inch torpedo tubes.  Centurion was attached to the 2^nd Battle Squadron and was involved in the greatest naval battle of WW1 at the Battle of Jutland in June 1916. Michael Moylan would have been involved in this battle together with fellow Kinsalebeg men John Mahony and John Hyde who were also on HMS Centurion. The other Kinsalebeg men at Jutland were John Joseph Brodie who was on the HMS Erin, John Kenure who was on the HMS Warrior and John Coyne who was on the HMS Conqueror.  

Jutland was the last and the largest of the great out and out battleship battles and both German and British navies had heavy losses. The Germans lost five destroyers, four light cruisers, one battle cruiser and one pre-Dreadnought battleship whereas the British lost three battle cruisers, four armoured cruisers and eight destroyers.  Whereas the British lost more ships, a lot of damage was done to the German fleet and the Battle of Jutland probably increased the British dominance in the heavy warship arena. Michael Moylan died on the China Hospital Ship in Cromarthy Scotland at 5.30pm on 23^rd August 1916 of acute oedema of the lungs. He had been moved from the HMS Centurion, where he was a crewman, to the China Hospital Ship (HMHS China) which was berthed at the British naval base of Cromarthy in Scotland. HMHS China was one of the main hospital ships supporting casualties of the Battle of Jutland.  It is not clear whether his illness was due to natural causes or as a result of accident or war injury. The Battle of Jutland had taken place shortly before his death and it is probable that he received an injury during this battle. The build-up of fluid in the spaces outside the blood vessels of the lungs is called pulmonary oedema and it is a common complication of heart disorders. Most cases of the condition are associated with heart failure but Michael Moylan was only 28 years of age at the time of his death so it is likely that there were additional causes or injuries involved other than heart failure. The life-threatening type of pulmonary oedema occurs when a large amount of fluid suddenly shifts from the blood vessels into the lung due to conditions like heart attack, lung problems, trauma or exposure to something like toxic chemicals. Michael Moylan was buried in Ardmore graveyard and the grave is located at the south-east corner of the graveyard outside the old cathedral. The gravestone inscription reads: “M. Moylan, Able Seaman RN 238143, HMS Centurian 23^rd August 1916, Age 28.”

Mulcahy, Michael (Curragh)

Name: Michael Mulcahy of Curragh, Ardmore, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 283299

Date of birth: 25/09/1875

Place of birth: Ardmore, Waterford

Personal details: Height: 5ft 5 ins; Eyes: Grey; Hair: Black; Complexion: Dark

Date of Joining: 18^th September 1896

Date of exit: 31^st May 1916 (Killed in action).

Ships served on: HMS Astrea, Venus, Howe, Empress of India, Hannibal, Europa, Niobe, Sutley, Europa, Andromeda, Indefatigable (24^th Feb 1911 to 31^st May 1916).

Details: Michael Mulcahy joined the British navy at Devonport on the 18^th September 1896 as a stoker. His first ship was the HMS Astraea which was a second class cruiser. He continued as stoker on a number of ships until the 24^th February 1911 when he joined the battlecruiser HMS Indefatigable as a Stoker 1^st Class. HMS Indefatigable was commissioned in 1911 and was an enlarged version of what was known as the Invincible Class. At the start of the 1^st World War, HMS Indefatigable was serving with the 2^nd Battlecruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean. She was involved in an unsuccessful pursuit of the German battlecruiser SMS Goeben and the light cruiser SMS Breslau as they headed for the Ottoman Empire. The ship was involved in an attack on the Ottoman defences at the Dardanelles in November 1914. This British attack took place before Churchill declared war against the Ottoman Empire and the attack was led by HMS Indomitable and HMS Indefatigable. HMS Indefatigable then returned to Britain, after a refit at Malta, and rejoined the 2^nd Battlecruiser Squadron. HMS Indefatigable was sunk at an early stage of the Battle of Jutland on the 31^st May 1916 where she was part of Vice-Admiral David Beatty’s Battlecruiser Fleet. The opening phase of the battlecruiser action was known as the “Run to the South” and HMS Indefatigable was hit a number of times in the early minutes of this action. She was hit by shells from the German battlecruiser SMS Von der Tann, which ripped a hole in the ship’s hull. She withdrew from the battle line but was hit by another salvo on the foredeck from the Von der Tann, which caused a second explosion with bits of the ship hurled hundreds of feet into the air. HMS Indefatigable blew up and sunk as a result of the second attack and only two members of her 1,019 man crew survived. One of those killed in the action was Michael Mulcahy of Curragh, Ardmore Co Waterford. Michael Mulcahy was not from Kinsalebeg but we include his details here as he was a wartime colleague of a number of Kinsalebeg men including Michael Moylan who died a few months later.

Murray, Edward (Monatray)

Name: Edward Murray of Monatray, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Registration No.: 3374H

Date of birth: 1874

Place of birth:  Monatrea [Monatray], Nr Youghal, Co Waterford

Personal details:  Height: 5ft 6½ins; Eyes:  Grey; Complexion: Dark

Date of Joining: 13^th Nov 1893

Date of exit: 19^th April 1901

Ships served on: Edward Murray served on Kinsale, Upper Cove (Royal Naval Reserve) and HMS Howe at Queenstown (Royal Navy). The HMS Howe was the last of the Admiral class battleships to be built and had four 13.5 inch guns. She was commissioned in July 1889 and was posted to the Channel Fleet in 1890. In November 1892 she ran aground at Ferrol in north-west Spain and after a difficult salvage operation she was eventually repaired in Chatham and posted to the Mediterranean until 1896. She became the port guard ship at Queenstown (now Cobh) in 1896 and Edward Murray was stationed on her for a short period from January to April 1901. HMS Howe was relegated to the naval reserve in 1901 and remained there until sold in 1910.

Details: Edward Murray was initially in the Merchant navy from 13^th November 1893 until probably 1898. He then joined the British Naval Reserve on 21^st Nov 1898 and was stationed on the Kinsale and Upper Cove ships until 23^rd December 1900 when he joined the British Navy. He served in the British navy for a short period from 7^th January 1901 until 19^th April 1901 and served on the HMS Howe at Queenstown. He was discharged on medical grounds on the 19^th April 1901. Parents of Edward Murray were John & Mary Murray of Monatray East (father was deceased before 1893).  In the 1901 census Mary Murray (widow, aged 52) was living in Monatray East, Kinsalebeg with her daughter Mary (aged 26, domestic servant) and sons Patrick (aged 28, fisherman), Edmond (aged 24, fisherman).  We assume that the Edmond Murray on the 1901 census is the Edward Murray outlined above in the naval service. The 1901 census took place on 31^st March 1901 and Edward Murray was discharged from the navy on 19^th April 1901 but was apparently living in Monatray East at that point. At time of the 1911 census Mary Murray (widow, aged 65), mother of Edward (Edmond) was living alone at Monatray East.

Power, Robert (Whiting Bay)

Name:  Robert Power of Whiting Bay.

Registration details:

Registration No.: 7440

Date of birth: May 1832

Place of birth: Whiting Bay, Waterford

Personal details: Height: 5ft 5ins; Hair: Brown; Eyes: Blue; Complexion: Ruddy

Date of joining: 7^th Oct 1863 for 10 years

Start rating: Boy 1^st Class

Date of exit: 28^th March 1874

Ships served on: Robert Power served on the HMS James Watt, Leopard, Conqueror, Indus, Gibraltar, Rinaldo, Buzzard, Flunealaya?. The HMS James Watt was a 91-gun steam and sail-powered second rate naval warship. She was originally named HMS Audacious but was renamed HMS James Watt in 1847 in honour of the inventor of the steam engine and was the only British naval ship to bear his name. She was reconfigured as a screw propeller ship in 1849. HMS James Watt was over 265 feet in length, had a displacement of 3083 tons and was driven by a 600hp engine. She was involved in the Baltic campaigns of 1854-55 which coincided with the period when Robert Power served on her. The ship had a number of technical problems which affected her performance and she was eventually sold for scrap in 1875.

Details: Robert Power served in the navy for two separate periods. The first period commenced on 21^st January 1854 for ten years when he started on the HMS James Watt as a B1C Boy 1^st Class when the ship was involved in the Baltic campaign. He then became an Ordinary seaman, then Able seaman and later became a stoker on HMS Indus. The second period of service ran from 7^th October 1863 until 28^th March 1874 when he volunteered to continue service as a stoker on the HMS Gibraltar. He received his first badge on 19^th July 1863 and three badges were granted on 29^th Sept 1873.

Quarry, Thomas (Pilltown)

Name: Thomas Quarry of Pilltown, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Naval Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 283844

Date of birth: 1^st January 1875

Place of birth: Piltown, Co Waterford

Occupation: Fishing

Date of joining: 10^th October 1896 for 12 years

Start rating: Stoker 2^nd Class

Date of exit: 31^st Dec 1899 (Invalided)

Ships worked on: HMS Collingwood.

Details: Thomas Quarry joined the British navy on 10^th October 1896 but was invalided out of the service after 3 years on 31^st Dec 1899. There is no indication as to the circumstances that caused him to be invalided out of the naval service. He received a traced pension on 2^nd May 1900. Thomas Quarry was possibly the son of Thomas Quarry and Johanna Quarry of Monatrea Middle. In the 1901 census Thomas Quarry (Farmer, aged 66) and Hanna Quarry lived in Monatray Middle with two of their children Martin Quarry (aged 40, farmer) and Kate Quarry (aged 20). In the 1911 census Johanna Quarry (aged 72) and her son Martin (aged 51, agricultural labourer) lived with John Stanton (aged 36, farmer) & his wife Kate Stanton nee Kate Quarry (aged 32) in Monatray Middle together with their four children namely Mary (aged 8), Bridget (aged 6), Richard (aged 3) and Catherine (2 months).  It would appear that Thomas Quarry, husband of Hanna/Johannah, had died between 1901 and 1911 and that the farm had passed to his daughter Kate Stanton nee Quarry. Martin Quarry worked on this farm as an agricultural labourer. There was another Quarry family in Monatray East in 1901 with Patrick Quarry (aged 71, widower, agricultural labourer) who lived with his daughter Bridget Quarry (aged 30) and this could also have been the family of Thomas Quarry.

Thomas Quarry served most of his period in the navy on the HMS Collingwood, which was an ironclad battleship of the Royal Navy. She was the first example of the Admiral-class ship and was named after Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood who was 2^nd  in command to Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar. Thomas Quarry spent two years on the HMS Collingwood from May 1897 to April 1899 before being invalided out of the naval service on pension on 2^nd May 1900, having spent the preceding 12 months at Devonport naval base (Vivid II). His period on the HMS Collingwood coincided with that of James Roche of Piltown who also served on the Collingwood as a stoker and was similarly invalided out of the naval service.

Roche, James (Pilltown)

Name: James Roche of Pilltown, Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Naval Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 285360

Date of birth: 25^th Dec 1876

Place of birth: Piltown, Co Waterford

Occupation: Fishing

Personal details: Height 5ft 6 1¼ ins.; Hair: Brown; Eyes: Hazel; Complexion: Ruddy

Date of joining: 28^th April 1897 for 12 years

Start rating: Stoker 2^nd Class

Date of exit: 3^rd Feb 1899 (Invalided

Ships worked on: HMS Collingwood.

Details:  James Roche joined the naval service on the 28^th April 1897 and served on the HMS Collingwood as a stoker before being invalided out of the service on 3^rd February 1899 due to phthisis or pulmonary tuberculosis. He received a traced pension on 28^th Feb 1899. He applied to re-enter the navy on 22^nd April 1899 but his return was apparently refused. There were a number of Roche families in the Kinsalebeg and Clashmore area in this period. It is possible that James Roche was the son of James & Bridget Roche of Monatray Middle but his address at the time of recruitment was given as Pilltown.

Roche, Patrick (Monatray)

Name: Patrick Roche of Monatray East Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Registration No.: B 3851

Date of birth: 23^rd March 1882

Place of birth: Monatray Co Waterford

Personal details: Height 5ft 5ins; Hair: Brown; Complexion: Dark

Date of joining: 1^st December 1905

Date of Exit: 18^th Jan 1919

Ships served on: HMS Empress of India, Hawke, Glory and Venerable.

Details:  Patrick “Pats” Roche joined the navy as a Royal Naval reserve on 1^st December 1905 and renewed this on 27^th September 1911 for another ten years. He spent periods in Devonport and Portsmouth during this period but as a reservist he spent extended periods in Youghal, as reservists were not on permanent duty. Patrick Roche’s parents were Michael & Ellen Roche of Carthy’s Cove, Monatray East. The following members of the Roche family were living in Carthy’s Cove, Monatray East in 1901:- Parents Michael Roche (Father, aged 52, fisherman), Ellen Roche (Mother, aged 56) and children Bridget (aged 28, domestic), Thomas (aged 23, fisherman), Hannah (aged 17, domestic), Mike (aged 14, scholar). Declan Lynch (aged 38, fisherman) was also staying in the house as a boarder. Patrick “Pats” Roche was a lodger in Hannah Condon’s lodging house in Foxes Lane Youghal at the time of the 1901 census. His occupation was stated as fisherman and he was lodging with a number of other Waterford born fishermen including John FitzGerald (aged 30), Martin FitzGerald (aged 24) and John McCarthy (aged 20). Patrick Roche was also a member of the Youghal Lifeboat. In 1911 Patrick Roche (aged 32) was married and living in Water Lane in Youghal together with his wife Margaret (aged 30) and two children namely Bridget (aged 4) and Thomas who was 17 months old. This Thomas Roche, son of Patrick & Margaret Roche, was killed during World War II at the age of thirty three years. He was a seaman (Service No: LT/JX 218334) on the anti-submarine trawler H.M.T. Lincoln City which shot down a German bomber aircraft off the Faroe Islands. The Lincoln was then itself bombed and sunk by another German bomber plane off Torshavn, Faroe Islands on the 21^st February 1941. Eight people were killed including Thomas Roche, who was buried in grave number 98 in the British graves section of Thorshavn Cemetery in the Faroe Islands. The following are the burial details and memorial reference of Thomas Roche:

Reference: Memorial Register, Denmark 1-118, Iceland 1-6, Faroe Islands 1-4, War Graves of The British Commonwealth 1939-1945

Thomas Roche would have received the War Medal 1939-1945 and the 1939-45 Star medal, the latter being awarded to those whose service was terminated by their death or disability due to service. Declan “Deag” Lynch was another Monatray East Royal Navy reservist during WW2. He was a well known rower who took part in the annual regatta which took place between Pillpark and Pilltown Mills in past years. Declan Lynch survived the war but was later invalided as a result of an accident in Pilltown.

           

Troy, William (Drumgullane)

Name: William Troy of Drumgullane East, Kinsalebeg Co Waterford.

Registration Details:

            Naval Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 280685

Date of birth: 27^th May 1877

Place of birth: Clarkmon, Waterford

Occupation: Labourer

            Personal details: Height: 5ft 10.5 ins; Hair: Dark; Eyes: Hazel; Complexion: Dark

Date of joining: 9^th September 1895 for 12 years

Start rating: Stoker 2^nd Class

Date of exit: 31^st Dec 1898 (Invalided)

Ships served on: William Troy served on the HMS Hussar (2/12/1896-20/6-1899), Vivid II (Base). The HMS Hussar was a Dyad-class torpedo gunboat launched in 1894. She was a 1070 ton ship with a length of 263 feet and was equipped with 1xQF 4.7 inch gun, 1x six pounder gun, 2x12 pounder guns and five eighteen inch torpedo tubes. HMS Hussar served in the Mediterranean in the period between 1896 and 1905 and William Troy was a stoker on board for the first three years after the ship was launched. The ship was converted to a minesweeper in 1914.

Details: William Troy joined the British navy on the 9^th September 1895 at the age of eighteen. He was initially based on the shore base known as Vivid II at Devonport in Cornwall. He started his naval service as a stoker on HMS Hussar on the 2^nd December 1896 and remained on this ship until 20^th June 1899 when he returned to the Devonport naval base of Vivid II. He was invalided out of the naval service a few months later on the 6^th October 1899. He received the traced pension from the 19^th February 1900. His place of birth was recorded as Clarkmon, Co Waterford which we assume was a mistake for Clashmore. He was actually living at Drumgullane East in Kinsalebeg at the time of the 1901 census when his occupation was given as a naval pensioner. Living in the house in Drumgullane was his grandfather Declan Purcell (aged 80, head of family, agricultural labourer), his mother Johanna Troy (widow, aged 50) and her children William (aged 23, naval pensioner), Declan (aged 21, agricultural labourer), John (aged 18, agricultural labourer), Thomas (aged 16, agricultural labourer), Richard (aged 14, scholar) and Bridget (aged 11, scholar). Also living in the house was Thomas Byrnes (aged 45, agricultural labourer). In 1911 William Troy (aged 33, stoker Royal navy) was still living in Drumgullane East with his mother Johanna (aged 55, farmer), his brother Thomas (aged 25, agricultural labourer) and Mary E Purcell (aged 8, scholar) who was given as an England born relative of Johanna Troy, whose maiden name was Purcell.

Walsh, Maurice (Kinsalebeg)

Name: Maurice Walsh of Kinsalebeg Co Waterford.

Registration details:

Naval Base: Devonport

Registration No.: 159471

Date of birth: 1^st April 1886

Place of birth: Kinsalebeg Cork

Occupation: Farming

Personal details: Height: 5ft 7ins; Hair: Brown; Eyes: Grey; Complexion: Fresh

Date of joining: 21^st April 1906 for 5yrs plus 7yrs

Start rating: Ordinary seaman

Date of exit: 31^st Dec 1918

Ships served on: HMS Hood, Russell (Royal Navy) and Doris (2^nd Aug 1914 to 15^th Jan 1917), Cumberland (RNR)(12^th Aug 1917 to 17^th Feb 1919).

Details:  Maurice Walsh joined the British navy on 21^st April 1906 and was transferred to the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) in Devonport on 24^th April 1910. He started as Ordinary Seaman on the HMS Hood and was promoted to Able Seaman on the HMS Russell. He transferred to the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) when he had completed his five year contract with the Royal Navy. He started as Able Seaman in the RNR and was promoted to Ship’s Corporal II in 1917 during WW1. He was demobilised after the war on 31^st December 1918. Maurice Walsh was probably son of Patrick & Statia Walsh of Newtown, Kinsalebeg. In the 1901 census Patrick Walsh (aged 37, agricultural labourer) and his wife Statia (aged 40) lived at Newtown, Kinsalebeg, Co Waterford. They had five children Maurice (aged 15), John (aged 13), Bridget (aged 12), Pat (aged 9) and Edmond (aged 2). In the 1911 census Patrick Walsh (aged 54, general labourer) and his wife Anastacia (aged 54) lived in Moord, Kinsalebeg with two children namely Bridget (aged 21, general domestic servant) and Edmond (aged 11). They had five children in total all of which were alive at the time of the 1911 census.

Maurice Walsh was an able seaman on the HMS Doris during WW1 from August 1914 to January 1917. The HMS Doris was an Eclipse-class masted cruiser of the Royal Navy. For the remainder of the war, from August 1917 to February 1919, Maurice Walsh was based on the HMS Cumberland as a corporal. The HMS Cumberland was a Monmouth-class armoured cruiser of the British Royal Navy and was first launched in December 1902. She served in World War 1 and spent part of that period in the Cameroons. She also served as a cadet training ship at the Britannia Royal Naval College from 1907.

                                                          

  

Summary of Kinsalebeg Navy Men

Ships of Kinsalebeg Navy Men

Note: DL=D’Loughtane; FP=Ferrypoint; MO=Monatray; PI=Pilltown; WW1=World War 1

Ship	Name
Achilles	Lynch, Patrick (PI)
Actaeon	Kenure, John (WW1); Lynch, John
Aeolus	Hyde, Patrick;  Mahony, John
Albion	Aherne, Maurice
Amphion	Mahony, John
Amphitrite	Hyde, Patrick
Andromeda	Coyne, John
Asia	Foley, Michael
Attentive	Kenure, John (WW1)
Belleisle	Foley, Michael
Bellona	Brodie, Joseph John; Lynch, Edward “Stoker”
Benbow	Brodie, Joseph John, Hyde John (Mo)
Black Prince	Aherne, Maurice
Blake	Coyne, John; Lynch, Patrick (MO); Mahony, John
Blenheim	Lynch, John; Hyde, Patrick
Blenheim Spear	Hyde, Patrick
Boomerang	Foley, Thomas
Boscawen	Brodie, Joseph John; Coyne, John
Britomart	Aherne, Maurice
Buzzard	Power, Robert
Caesar	Brodie, Joseph John; Hyde, Patrick; Moylan, Michael
Caledonia	Brodie, Joseph John; Coyne, John
Calypso	Coyne, John
Cambridge	Coyne, John ; Foley, Michael; Foley, Thomas; Lynch, John
Centurion	Hyde, John (DL) (WW1); Moylan, Michael (WW1); Mahony, John (WW1)
Cleopatra	Coyne, John
Colleen	Lynch, John
Collingwood	Lynch, Patrick (MO); Quarry, Thomas; Roche, James
Conqueror	Coyne, John (WW1); Power, Robert
Cornwall	Hyde, John (FP) (WW1)
Cornwallis	Aherne, Maurice
Cumberland	Walsh, Maurice (WW1)
Curacoa	Lynch, John
Daedalus	Lynch, Patrick (PI)
Defiance	Hyde, John (DL); Kenure, John; Lynch, John
Defiant	Lynch, Patrick (MO)
Diana	Brodie, Joseph John
Dido	Lynch, John
Donegal	Hyde, Patrick
Doris	Walsh, Maurice (WW1)
Duncan	Broady, Patrick
Eclipse	Aherne, Maurice
Edgar	Lynch, Patrick (MO)
Egmont	Lenihan, John
Emerald	Hyde, John (FP); Moylan, Michael
Emperor of India	Aherne, Maurice; Roche, Patrick
Endymion	Foley, Thomas; Lynch, John; Mahoney, Patrick
Erebus	Lynch, John
Erin	Brodie, Joseph John (WW1)
Europa	Aherne, Maurice; Lenihan, John
Euryalus	Moylan, Michael
Flamingo	Foley, Michael
Flora	Hyde, John (FP)
Flunealaya	Power, Robert
Fox	Lynch, John
Frederick William	Broady, Patrick
Ganges	Hyde, Michael
Ganges II	Moylan, Michael
Gibraltar	Power, Robert
Glory	Kenure, John; Roche, Patrick
Goyche	Lynch, Patrick (MO)
Grafton	Lynch, Patrick (MO) (WW1)
Hannibal	Moylan, Michael
Harrier	Hyde, John (DL)
Hawke	Broady, Patrick; Roche, Patrick
Hebe	Moylan, Michael
Hecla	Lynch, Patrick (MO)
Hermes	Foley, Thomas
Hibernia	Moylan, Michael
Highflyer	Hyde, John (FP)
Hood	Walsh, Maurice
Hotspur	Foley, Michael
Howe	Aherne, Maurice; Hyde, John (FP); Lynch, John; Murray, Edward
Hussar	Troy, William
Humber	Ahearne, Maurice
Hyacinth	Hyde, John (FP)
Illustrious	Brodie, Joseph John
Illustrious	Lynch, John
Implacable	Coyne, John; Green, Charles John
Impregnable	Brodie, Joseph John; Coyne, John; Hyde, Michael; Lynch, John; Lynch, Patrick (MO) (WW1)
Indus	Foley, Michael; Foley, Thomas; Hyde, Patrick; Power, Robert
James Watt	Broady, Patrick; Power, Robert
Jason	Mahony, John
Juno	Kenure, John
Katoomba	Hyde John (MO)
Kent	Lynch, John
King Alfred	Hyde, Patrick
Kinsale	Murray, Edward
Leander	Hyde, John (DL); Lynch, Patrick (MO); Mahony, John
Leon	Lynch, Patrick MO)
Leopard	Power, Robert
Leviathan	Coyne, John
Magnificent	Ahern, Maurice; Brodie, Joseph John; Moylan, Michael
Majestic	Aherne, Maurice; Moylan, Michael
Marlboro	Hyde, John (DL)
Mildura	Foley, Thomas
Monarch	Lynch, John
Monmouth	Aherne, Maurice (WW1); Hyde, Patrick; Lynch, John
New Zealand	Ahern, Maurice
Niombe	Hyde, John (DL)
Ocean	Moylan, Michael
Orlando	Foley, Thomas; Lynch, John
Pandora	Hyde, Patrick
Pembroke	Lynch, John
Peony	Hyde, Patrick (WW1)
Phaeton	Brodie, Joseph John; Coyne, John
Pomone	Coyne, John
R. Adelaide	Foley, Michael
Rainbow	Hyde, Patrick
Ramillies	Brodie, Joseph John
Repulse	Mahony, John
Rinaldo	Power, Robert
Royal Albert	Hurley, Morris
Royal George	Broady, Patrick
Russell	Broady, Patrick; Walsh, Maurice
Sans Pareil	Lynch, John
Sapphire	Foley, Michael; Mahony, John
Sapphire II	Kenure, John; Lynch, John
Skipjack	Mahony, John
Skirmisher	Kenure, John
St. George	Lynch, John
Suffolk	Hyde, John (DL)
Superb	Hyde John (MO)
Taman	Hyde, John (FP)
Tamar	Aherne, Maurice; Lynch, John
Temeraine	Lynch, Patrick (MO)
Tenedos	Hyde, John (DL); Kenure, John
Theseus	Coyne, John; Brodie, Joseph John
Thrasher	Lynch, Edward “Stoker”
Trafalgar	Aherne, Maurice
Triumph	Hyde, John (DL)
Upper Cove	Murray, Edward
Valiant	Broady, Patrick
Vanguard	Broady, Patrick
Venerable	Roche, Patrick
Vernon	Lynch, John
Vestal	Aherne, Maurice
Victorious	Brodie, Joseph John; Lynch, Patrick (MO)
Victory	Lenihan, John
Victory 1	Moylan, Michael
Wallington (Violet)	Kenure, John
Warrior	Brodie, Joseph John; Coyne, John; Kenure, John (WW1)
Warspite	Lynch, John

The above is a list of 144 separate ships served on by Kinsalebeg navy men.

Summary

We thus conclude our summary of the navy history of thirty Kinsalebeg men in the late 19^th and early 20^th century. The summary is confined to a seventy year period from 1854 to 1924 but the focus is on the thirty year period from 1890 to 1920. We have endeavoured to track all Kinsalebeg men who served in the navy in this period but, for reasons outlined earlier, some names may have been missed and we would appreciate any further information to enable future updating of the history. The combined total service of all thirty naval men came to a total of 382 years, which averages at around 13 years service per person. These figures include the service period of the three men who died while on duty and the nine men who were invalided out of the service due to injury or illness. Ten navy men were in the navy for twenty years or longer. Around fifteen Kinsalebeg men were on active naval duty during WW1 and six of these were involved in the Battle of Jutland as we have already mentioned. The thirty Kinsalebeg men served on a total of one hundred and forty four (144) separate ships during this period as listed above. The tours of duty probably brought at least one Kinsalebeg man to every major naval conflict and to every major port in the world in this period. We have tracked Kinsalebeg involvement in campaigns such as the Battle of the Falklands, the Battle of Jutland, the Dardanelles Campaign, the Battle of Gallipolli, the Suez Campaign, the Baltic Campaign, East Indies & China Stations and a multitude of other actions particularly during World War I. They travelled hundreds of thousands of miles across every sea and ocean including the North Sea, North & South Atlantic, Irish Sea, Mediterranean, Pacific, East Indies, China, Baltic and East Africa.

The army and navy service in particular were regular sources of employment for many Irish in the 19^th and 20^th century. We have outlined elsewhere that many of these navy and army men came back to a difficult Irish political period after World War I.  Anti British sentiment was at its highest and any connection with the British establishment was viewed with suspicion in many quarters. Almost all these men had joined the naval service before 1900 and long before the Easter Rising and the subsequent War of Independence and Civil War. They had been involved in many difficult naval campaigns and battles, fighting for causes which they believed in, and many of them died or were injured in the process.

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