Date of birth: 16/06/1885

Place of birth: Newtownhamilton, Armagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Profession: Day laborer

Country: Ireland

Force: British Expeditionary Force

Rank: Private

Service number: 23300

Enlistment date: 11/1915

Enlistment place: Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Units:  —  Royal Irish Fusiliers, 9th Bn.  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 16/08/1917

Place of death: Pommern Redoubt - Hill 35, Belgium

Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Age: 32

British War Medal Medal

Victory Medal Medal

Private Monaghan William was part of the 9th Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers, 108th Brigade, 36th Division and took part in the Battle of Langemark on 16th August 1917. The battalion assembled in an old trench running from Pommern Redoubt (HQ) to Iberian Farm. During the attack they reached a hostile entrenched position south of strongpoint at Hill 35. The strong opposition was met and the strongpoint, which held up the advance, was taken. In the mean while the 7/8th Royal Irish Fusiliers got ahead of them as did the barrage. A platoon was left to consolidate Hill 35 as the assault continued. They pushed on until the center had reached a double row of wire south and east of Gallipoli which was only cut in one or two places. Again this held up the advance. German machinegun fire was brought to bear on them from dugouts in Gallipoli, Aisne House, Martha House and Hill 37, which caused a lot of casualties. It was found impossible to push on. The battalion retired and took up a line along a trench running along Hill 35. But machinegun fire from Hill 37 was enfilading this position and again the battalion retired to a trench running in a southern direction on Hill 35. This was consolidated and held until the 16th Division to their right had to fall back, again the battalion had to retired due to enfilade fire, from Iberian Farm. William Monaghan was killed in the area of Pommern Redoubt and Hill 35, due to the battalion retreating his body was never recovered. He is on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing.

9th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers, (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 95/2505/2). Sources used

Cunliffe Marcus, The Royal Irish Fusiliers : 1793-1968 (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1970). Sources used

Harris Henry, The Royal Irish Fusiliers (the 87th and 89th Regiments of Foot) (London, Leo Cooper, 1972). Further reference

McCarthy, Chris, Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account (London: Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018). Sources used

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=85c67019-120a-4f0a-a0c5-699f8fe8e574

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/23300

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/2023300