Pte
John Hutchinson McIlhagga
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 08/07/1880 |
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Place of birth: Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: Outlook, Saskatchewan, Canada |
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Profession: Labourer |
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Religion: Presbyterian |
Army information
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Country: Canada |
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Force: Canadian Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 781528 |
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Enlistment date: 17/12/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Outlook, Saskatchewan, Canada |
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Units: — Canadian Infantry, 46th Bn. (South Saskatchewan) (Last known unit) — 128th (Moose Jaw) Battalion, CEF |
Information about death
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Date of death: 26/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 37 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: Unknown Row: Unknown Grave: Sp. Mem. 18 |
Points of interest 5
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) | ||
| #5 | Cemetery |
My story
John Hutchinson McIlhagga, son of Nathaniel and Henrietta Wilson, was born on 8 July 1880 in St. Reginald’s Parish, Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. He was the second of seven children. According to the 1901 Irish census, John was working as a linen dyer and finisher.
In January 1902, he enlisted in the 134th Company of the 29th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry (Irish Horse), a light cavalry unit formed for the Second Boer War. The battalion was sent to South Africa in May 1902, but saw no active service as the war ended just three days after their arrival. John returned home in November 1902 and was honorably discharged upon his arrival in Northern Ireland.
In March 1903, John set out once again—this time emigrating to Daly, in the Brandon region of Manitoba, where he applied for free land under the homestead system.
In 1910, he married Mary Ellen Kennedy, and the couple soon moved to Outlook, Saskatchewan, where John was granted land.
By December 1915, he was employed locally when he stepped into the Outlook recruitment office and enlisted in the 128th Overseas Battalion. Just three days earlier, in Moose Jaw, his brothers George and Joseph McIlhagga had also enlisted in the same battalion. A fourth brother, Archibald, had joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force earlier, in May 1915, at Calgary.
In August 1916, the 128th Battalion embarked for England, arriving on the 24th. After nearly seven months of training, John was transferred to France, where, on 10 June 1917, he and 124 other men from the 128th were assigned as reinforcements to the 46th Battalion. (George and Joseph were transferred to the 28th Battalion.)
On 21 October 1917, the Canadian 10th Infantry Brigade (including the 46th Battalion) arrived in the Ypres front area. On the 22nd, the brigade took over the front line south of Passchendaele, with the 50th Battalion in the front line and the 46th Battalion directly behind it in support. While waiting for the attack (scheduled for the 26th), the men took shelter in shell holes, with their groundsheets as their only protection. Rain and cold made conditions particularly harsh. German shelling caused heavy casualties. In preparation for the attack, on the evening of the 25th, the 46th Battalion moved to positions in the front line near Heine House and Hillside Farm.
The artillery bombardment began at 5.40 a.m., but fell short, causing many casualties among their own ranks even before the troops could advance. During the attack, the 46th Battalion suffered heavy losses from both friendly and German artillery fire, as well as intense German machine gun fire. With the support of the 50th Battalion, all objectives were captured and reinforced before noon.
Around 4 p.m., the enemy launched a heavy artillery bombardment on the lines and launched several counterattacks. Due to the high number of casualties, the weak defensive line and the lack of artillery support, the 46th Battalion withdrew towards Zonnebeke, mainly using the Zonnebeke-Passendale road. After some regrouping, the battalion held its ground in a line close to the positions from which they had departed that morning.
In the evening, the 46th Battalion was relieved and withdrew to Levis Corner, near the center of Zonnebeke. The Germans fired gas grenades and other ammunition at that area, resulting in further casualties.
According to the report by Lt. Col. Dawson, who commanded the 46th, the battalion suffered 402 casualties (53 killed, 287 wounded, 62 missing), which amounts to 70%. The website CWGC.org lists 98 men from the 46th who were killed on 26 October, 75 of whom are commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial and 11 buried at Tyne Cot Cemetery. Within days of the attack, another 16 men from the 46th Battalion died of their wounds in field hospitals. The very high losses during this and other operations in the First World War earned the battalion the nickname “The Suicide Battalion”.
On the 26th October 1917, Pte John Hutchinson McIlhagga was on duty with a carry party when he got mortally wounded. While carrying supplies to the front line a German shell blew off his arm at the shoulder. He died shortly afterwards.
Pte McIlhagga was initially buried at location ref. 28.D.16.b.9.4.5 (as mentioned in circumstances-of-death form) which is within the current boundaries of the Tyne Cot Cemetery. However, his body was never retrieved or identified. A headstone (Special Memorial 18) with his name and the superscript 'KNOWN TO BE BURIED IN THIS CEMETERY' engraved, was erected along the western cemetery wall, near the entrance and gate house on Tynecotstraat.
After the death of her husband Mary Ellen returned to Daly (Brandon),Manitoba to live with her parents.
McIlhagga's three brothers survived the war and returned safely to Canada.
In January 1902, he enlisted in the 134th Company of the 29th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry (Irish Horse), a light cavalry unit formed for the Second Boer War. The battalion was sent to South Africa in May 1902, but saw no active service as the war ended just three days after their arrival. John returned home in November 1902 and was honorably discharged upon his arrival in Northern Ireland.
In March 1903, John set out once again—this time emigrating to Daly, in the Brandon region of Manitoba, where he applied for free land under the homestead system.
In 1910, he married Mary Ellen Kennedy, and the couple soon moved to Outlook, Saskatchewan, where John was granted land.
By December 1915, he was employed locally when he stepped into the Outlook recruitment office and enlisted in the 128th Overseas Battalion. Just three days earlier, in Moose Jaw, his brothers George and Joseph McIlhagga had also enlisted in the same battalion. A fourth brother, Archibald, had joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force earlier, in May 1915, at Calgary.
In August 1916, the 128th Battalion embarked for England, arriving on the 24th. After nearly seven months of training, John was transferred to France, where, on 10 June 1917, he and 124 other men from the 128th were assigned as reinforcements to the 46th Battalion. (George and Joseph were transferred to the 28th Battalion.)
On 21 October 1917, the Canadian 10th Infantry Brigade (including the 46th Battalion) arrived in the Ypres front area. On the 22nd, the brigade took over the front line south of Passchendaele, with the 50th Battalion in the front line and the 46th Battalion directly behind it in support. While waiting for the attack (scheduled for the 26th), the men took shelter in shell holes, with their groundsheets as their only protection. Rain and cold made conditions particularly harsh. German shelling caused heavy casualties. In preparation for the attack, on the evening of the 25th, the 46th Battalion moved to positions in the front line near Heine House and Hillside Farm.
The artillery bombardment began at 5.40 a.m., but fell short, causing many casualties among their own ranks even before the troops could advance. During the attack, the 46th Battalion suffered heavy losses from both friendly and German artillery fire, as well as intense German machine gun fire. With the support of the 50th Battalion, all objectives were captured and reinforced before noon.
Around 4 p.m., the enemy launched a heavy artillery bombardment on the lines and launched several counterattacks. Due to the high number of casualties, the weak defensive line and the lack of artillery support, the 46th Battalion withdrew towards Zonnebeke, mainly using the Zonnebeke-Passendale road. After some regrouping, the battalion held its ground in a line close to the positions from which they had departed that morning.
In the evening, the 46th Battalion was relieved and withdrew to Levis Corner, near the center of Zonnebeke. The Germans fired gas grenades and other ammunition at that area, resulting in further casualties.
According to the report by Lt. Col. Dawson, who commanded the 46th, the battalion suffered 402 casualties (53 killed, 287 wounded, 62 missing), which amounts to 70%. The website CWGC.org lists 98 men from the 46th who were killed on 26 October, 75 of whom are commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial and 11 buried at Tyne Cot Cemetery. Within days of the attack, another 16 men from the 46th Battalion died of their wounds in field hospitals. The very high losses during this and other operations in the First World War earned the battalion the nickname “The Suicide Battalion”.
On the 26th October 1917, Pte John Hutchinson McIlhagga was on duty with a carry party when he got mortally wounded. While carrying supplies to the front line a German shell blew off his arm at the shoulder. He died shortly afterwards.
Pte McIlhagga was initially buried at location ref. 28.D.16.b.9.4.5 (as mentioned in circumstances-of-death form) which is within the current boundaries of the Tyne Cot Cemetery. However, his body was never retrieved or identified. A headstone (Special Memorial 18) with his name and the superscript 'KNOWN TO BE BURIED IN THIS CEMETERY' engraved, was erected along the western cemetery wall, near the entrance and gate house on Tynecotstraat.
After the death of her husband Mary Ellen returned to Daly (Brandon),Manitoba to live with her parents.
McIlhagga's three brothers survived the war and returned safely to Canada.
Sources 4
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Circumstance of Death (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG150, 1992-93/314, 220) https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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Commonwealth War Graves Registers, First World War (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG150, 1992-93/314, 101) https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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Personnel Records of the First World War (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 6878 - 17) https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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war diaries: 46th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4939, Microfilm reel number: T-10745--T-10746, File number: 437) https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
More information 5
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=967f5267-0042-49f5-b58d-c176755bf91b |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory//5631969 |
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The Canadian Virtual War Memorial https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/463772 |
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/463772 |
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A Street Near You https://astreetnearyou.org/person/463772/ |