Information about birth

Year of birth:
1889
Place of birth:
Caltra, Galway, Ireland, United Kingdom

General information

Profession:
Farmer's son

Army information

Country:
England, United Kingdom
Force:
British Expeditionary Force
Rank:
Serjeant
Service number:
9304
Enlistment place:
Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland, United Kingdom
Units:
 —  East Lancashire Regiment, 2nd Bn.  (Last known unit)

Information about death

Date of death:
17/08/1917
Place of death:
Kit Kat, Belgium
Cause of death:
Killed in action (K.I.A.)
Age:
28

Memorial

Tyne Cot Memorial
Panel: 77

Distinctions and medals 3

Points of interest 2

#1 Place of birth
#2 Enlistment place

My story

Peter Kelly was a 29-year-old farmers’ son from Caltra, Galway, Ireland. He enlisted in 1914 in Mullingar, Westmeath, Ireland. He was part of the 2nd Battalion Lancashire Regiment, 24th Brigade, 8th Division.

On 16th August 1917 the 8th Division took part in the Battle of Langemarck, a sub battle in the Battle of Passchendaele. The 24th Brigade was in support en took over the defence of Westhoek Ridge after the attacking battalions (of the 23th and 25th Brigade) had advanced. At a certain point the 8th Division was ahead of the Divisions on its flanks, leaving it exposed to a number of couter-attacks. During the day the 2nd East Lancs were placed at the disposel of the 23rd Infantry Brigade an thrown into the fight on account of casualties and severe pressure by the enemy. The German counter attacks obliged them to withdraw the line.
No relief took place during the night. The next day, 17 August, the 2nd East Lancs were still holding the line near Kit Kat (J.1.d.3.5.).

Serjeant Peter Kelly was killed in action while holding the line on 17 August. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, panel 77.

Files 1

Sources 7

Ancestry
https://ancestry.com
Sources used
CWGC
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/834602/peter-kelly/
Sources used
McCarthy C., Passchendaele: The Day-by-Day Account, Londen, Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018, pp.51-53
Sources used
The Long Long Trail
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/
Sources used
The National Archives of Ireland - Census 1901
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Caltra/Ballintleva/1389293/
Sources used
The National Archives of Ireland - Census 1911
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Monivea/Ballyskeagh/474078/
Sources used
War Diary 2nd Bn East Lancashire Regiment and War Diary 24th Brigade
http://www.nmarchive.com
Sources used