We were originally of Scottish Blood

Last Update 27 August 2015

13th. Royal Irish Rifles

26th. July 1931 Conway Square and a crowd await the arrival of the 13th. Royal Irish Rifles


William Graham, Grandfather of my old friend Derek Graham.
E.Mail from Gordon Graham, Derek Grahams Nephew; I have a really old one of my great grandfather who was soldier in the first world war wearing the uniform of Carsons army ..he eventually went to war and although wounded  a number of times at Mons he survived.  Many thanks Gordy,. Derek

SIMMS, JOHN MORROW 1854-1934

John Simms was born in Newtownards, County Down, and was educated at Queen's College, Belfast, and in Edinburgh, where he studied theology, afterwards becoming a Presbyterian minister. In 1887 he was appointed an army chaplain and served in the Sudan and in South Africa. In the First World War he was principal chaplain to the British forces in France, with the rank of major-general. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George and a Companion of the Order of the Bath. In 1919 he became Moderator of the General Assembly, and in 1922 member of the Westminster parliament for North Down, retaining his parliamentary seat until 1931. He was the King's Honorary Chaplain. He died in Newtownards. In his obituary The Times said of him: 'He was no mere arm-chair minister, but shared the risks and hardships of military life'.

Thomas Russell Rifleman 10737 1st. btn. Royal Irish Rifles (above)
of 18 Mark Street - possibly 56 Upper Movilla street  was a fatallity within 2 months of enlisting
(16-08-1917) and rests at Tyne Cot, his brother Andrew was also a fatallity but no further details yet. 
See also Russell under Newtownards people past family deaths,births marriages etc.

Information Corrected below

Many thanks to Rob Elliott who sent this e.mail in Sept. 2012 Thomas Russell was not killed two months after enlisting.
 
He had first landed in France on the 6th October 1915 along with the rest of the Ulster Division, where he served as a driver
 with the army Service Corps, then transfered to the Royal Irish Rifles as number 10737, private.
 Quite possibly after being wounded with the ASC or transfered later in the war when those men that were fitter could be replaced by 
returning wounded soldiers,  especially into the ASC, who were classified as 'B' grade so the fit man was released for combat duties. 
 As each man was issued his medalsa medal 'card'  was made giving details of name, service number etc but no address.
 The card usually says the date for overseas service and it is from Thomas' card i got the details of when he
 arrived in France. Unfortunately this information can go against what families have believed for a long time, but it generally adds to the 
knowledge of what the man did.

Soon: The story of Alexander Whitla (above)