Pte
Robert Mcgeown
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1895 |
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Place of birth: Tandragee, County Armagh, Ireland, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: Tandragee, County Armagh, Ireland, United Kingdom |
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Profession: Farm Labourer |
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Religion: Church of Ireland |
Army information
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Country: Verenigd Koninkrijk |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 14551 |
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Enlistment place: Portadown, County Armagh, Ireland, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Royal Irish Fusiliers, 9th Bn. (County Armagh) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 16/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Aisne Farm, Saint-Julien, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 22 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: V Row: H Grave: 21 |
Distinctions and medals 3
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Robert McGeown was born around 1895 in the town of Tandragee, County Armagh, situated on a hill above the Cusher River. Robert worked as a farm labourer in the area and lived with his mother.
Robert enlisted during the war years and served from October 1915 on the Western Front with the 9th Battalion (County Armagh) of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, part of the 108th Brigade in the 36th (Ulster) Division.
During the Battle of Passchendaele, on 16 August 1917, the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers assembled in an old trench running from Pommern Redoubt — the battalion headquarters — to Iberian Farm. Their objective was to advance towards the Zonnebeke–Langemark road, about 1.5 kilometres further on.
Moments after moving forward behind the creeping barrage, the men were halted at Hill 35. Despite continuous machine-gun fire from Somme and Gallipoli, the battalion managed to capture Hill 35. Meanwhile, contact with the 7/8th Royal Irish Fusiliers was lost, while the rolling barrage continued, increasingly exposing the men to German fire.
One platoon stayed behind to consolidate Hill 35, while the attack continued. The Fusiliers advanced until they encountered a double belt of barbed wire at Gallipoli, north of Hill 35. The wire had been cut in only one or two places, forcing the men to squeeze through. German machine-guns targeted these bottlenecks — from dugouts in Gallipoli, Aisne Farm, and Martha House north of Hill 35, and from Hill 37 to the east along the Zonnebeke–Langemark road. The consequences were devastating.
Further advance proved impossible. The battalion was forced to withdraw and consolidated its positions in a trench in front of Hill 35. But sustained machine-gun fire from Hill 37 made the position untenable. They withdrew again, this time to a trench on the southern slope of Hill 35.
This position connected with the lines of the 16th (Irish) Division on their right. But when that division was also pushed back by German counterattacks, the right flank of the Fusiliers was exposed. From Iberian Farm, south of Hill 35, they were enfiladed by German machine-guns. With no cover left on their right, the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers were ultimately forced to fall back to their original lines. The attack was a complete failure.
Robert, 23 years old, was killed during the assault on Hill 35. He was initially buried in the field near Aisne. After the war, he received his final resting place at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Plot V, Row H, Grave 21.
Robert enlisted during the war years and served from October 1915 on the Western Front with the 9th Battalion (County Armagh) of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, part of the 108th Brigade in the 36th (Ulster) Division.
During the Battle of Passchendaele, on 16 August 1917, the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers assembled in an old trench running from Pommern Redoubt — the battalion headquarters — to Iberian Farm. Their objective was to advance towards the Zonnebeke–Langemark road, about 1.5 kilometres further on.
Moments after moving forward behind the creeping barrage, the men were halted at Hill 35. Despite continuous machine-gun fire from Somme and Gallipoli, the battalion managed to capture Hill 35. Meanwhile, contact with the 7/8th Royal Irish Fusiliers was lost, while the rolling barrage continued, increasingly exposing the men to German fire.
One platoon stayed behind to consolidate Hill 35, while the attack continued. The Fusiliers advanced until they encountered a double belt of barbed wire at Gallipoli, north of Hill 35. The wire had been cut in only one or two places, forcing the men to squeeze through. German machine-guns targeted these bottlenecks — from dugouts in Gallipoli, Aisne Farm, and Martha House north of Hill 35, and from Hill 37 to the east along the Zonnebeke–Langemark road. The consequences were devastating.
Further advance proved impossible. The battalion was forced to withdraw and consolidated its positions in a trench in front of Hill 35. But sustained machine-gun fire from Hill 37 made the position untenable. They withdrew again, this time to a trench on the southern slope of Hill 35.
This position connected with the lines of the 16th (Irish) Division on their right. But when that division was also pushed back by German counterattacks, the right flank of the Fusiliers was exposed. From Iberian Farm, south of Hill 35, they were enfiladed by German machine-guns. With no cover left on their right, the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers were ultimately forced to fall back to their original lines. The attack was a complete failure.
Robert, 23 years old, was killed during the assault on Hill 35. He was initially buried in the field near Aisne. After the war, he received his final resting place at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Plot V, Row H, Grave 21.
Sources 6
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9 Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 95/2505/2). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO372). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Census of Ireland 1901/1911 (The National Archives of Ireland, Dublin (NAI)). https://www.nationalarchives.ie/ Sources used |
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Cunliffe, M., Passchendaele: The Royal Irish Fusiliers : 1793-1968. (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1970) 324-327. Sources used |
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Harris, H., The Royal Irish Fusiliers (the 87th and 89th Regiments of Foot). (London, Leo Cooper, 1972) 100-103. Sources used |
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McCarthy C., Passchendaele: The Day-By-Day Account (Londen, Arms & Armour, 2018) 52-55. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/463756 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/2793771 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=da8158ce-376b-411d-9dd9-b30c79a444ad |