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Boyle link to Battle of the Somme

Today July 1st is the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive.

This First World War battle was fought by the armies of the British and French empires against the German Empire.

It took place between 1 July and 18 November 1916 on both sides of upper reaches of the River Somme in France.

It was the largest battle of the First World War with more than one million men were wounded or killed, including a number from Boyle.

With thanks to Paul Malpas, Secretary of the Connaught Rangers Association, below is a list of those from the Boyle area who lost their lives in the Battle of the Somme:

1st July. Pte George William Nelson of 9th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. George was 28 years of age and although born in Edenderry in Kings County, lived and worked in Boyle and enlisted at Boyle Barracks (King House).  He was a school teacher
and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial and in Church of Ireland, Boyle.

18th July. Pte Joseph Lavin 3074 of 2nd Leinster Regiment formerly 97 Connaught Rangers.  Joseph was born in Boyle but working in Pendleton, Salford where he enlisted.  He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.

3rd September Pte Thomas Redican 6787 6th Battalion Connaught Rangers served under the name of John Patrick Murphy.  Thomas was aged 30 and was killed at Guillemont on the Somme.  He was born in Boyle in 1886 but enlisted at Llanelly in South Wales.  He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.

3rd September Pte Martin Stokes 5204 6th Battalion Connaught Rangers, he was killed at Guillemont on the Somme.  He was born and lived in Boyle but enlisted on Bere Island, Co Cork Previously he had been wounded at Gallipoli with the 5th Battalion Connaught Rangers in September 1915 and had been recycled into 6th Battalion.  He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.

7th September Capt William Herbert Monson MC of the 8th Royal Dublin Fusiliers.  William was 38 years of age and died of wounds at La Neuville No 21 casualty clearing station at Corbie on the Somme.  He was born on 29th September 1878 and was the son of George Thomas and Kate S Monson of Grallaghmore, Boyle.  He was buried at La Neuville British Cemetery and his remembered in the Church of Ireland, Boyle.

15th September Pte Thomas Connor 6679 Irish Guards aged 20 when killed.  Thomas was born in Cootehall, enlisted in Boyle and was the son of Michael and Kate Connor of Derryherk, Boyle.  He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.

26th September Pte Thomas Carty 308466 1st/8th Kings Liverpool Regiment.  Thom,as was the son of Mary Farrell, Green Street, Boyle.

11th October Pte Patrick McDermott 12711 19th Manchester Regiment.  Patrick was born in Boyle but enlisted in Manchester where he lived and worked at 102 Every Street in Ancoats.  He was the son of Patrick and Martha McDermott.  He is buried in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery at Longueval on the Somme.

13th November Cpl Frank Gaffney 25624 of 10th Royal Dublin Fusiliers.  Frank was born in Keadue, enlisted in Boyle but lived in Carrick on Shannon.  He is buried in Ancre British Cemetery at Beaumont Hamel, Somme.

20th November Sgt Patrick James Oates 29339 1st Inniskilling Fusiliers.  He was aged 28 and was born in Croghan, Boyle but enlisted in Dublin.  He lived at Faus, Croghan, Boyle and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial has the names of 72,195 Allied soldiers who died on the Somme but their bodies were never found.  There were other men from Boyle killed in action on the Somme but outside the dates of this particular battle which was 1st July – 20th November 1916.

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