Ballina Soldier’s World War 1 Distinction

Ballina Soldier’s World War 1 Distinction

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HE 28th June of 1914 was marked by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne by the Bosnia-Serb Nationalist group Young Bosnia who wanted independence (the spark that lit the fuse), and Franz Joseph, the Austro-Hungarian Emperor (with the backing of Germany) responded aggressively and presented Serbia with an unacceptable ultimatum to provoke Serbia into war. Serbia agreed to 8 of the 10 terms and on the 28th July, 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia and this produced a cascade effect across Europe. Russia, bound by a treaty to Serbia declared war with Austro-Hungary; Germany declared war on Russia (1st August) and on 3rd August Germany declared war on France. Germany’s army crossed into neutral Belgium in order to reach Paris, forcing Britain on 4th August, to declare war on Germany (due to the Treaty of London (1839) whereby Britain agreed to defend Belgium in the event of Belgium being invaded, and on the 6th August Austro-Hungary declared war on Russia and Serbia declared war on Germany. On 9th August the British Expeditionary Force began embarking for France and soon after Britain and much of Europe were pulled into a war that would last 1,566 days, costing 8,528,831 lives and nearly 29 million casualties or missing on both sides: The Allied Forces (the Allies): France, the United Kingdom and Russia on one side and the other side was the Central Powers of Germany and Austro-Hungary.

  (The British army was the best trained and most experienced army and their training emphasised rapid firing with the result that the British soldier, who were equipped with Lee Enfield rifles, could hit a man-sized target fifteen times in one minute--PJC).

 Three Battalions of the Connaught Rangers, 1st, 2nd, 3rd (reserve) and 4th had already been raised by the 4th August and the other two (reserves) 5th and 6th by end of August/beginning of September. The 2nd Battalion, as part of the 5th Brigade of the 2nd Division, was stationed at Barrosa Barracks, Aldershot, England, and by 14th was mobilised and landed at Boulogne, France, and engaged in various actions on the Western Front.

  On the 21st August Pte. John Parr, Middlesex Regiment, who specialised in becoming a reconnaissance cyclist-riding ahead to uncover information, he and another cyclist were sent to the village of Obourg, just north east of Mons, with a mission to locate the enemy, and it is believed they encountered an enemy patrol, and he was killed by  enemy fire holding off the enemy whilst his companion returned to report. By his death John Parr is reportedly said to be the first British soldier to die in the war.

  Later on that evening of the 21st, Pte. Stephen Kennedy, No. 10691, 2nd Battalion Connaught Rangers, which was a part of the 2nd Division and which took part in the Battle of Mons on 23rd and 24th August, was seriously wounded and was brought to Athis Mons hospital some seven kilometres from Paris, where he died on the morning of the 22nd. He is buried in the cemetery in Athis Mons, Ballina’s twin town in France. By his death Stephen (35) has the distinction of becoming the first Ballina/Mayo/Irish/Connaught Ranger to die. He was the son of John and Bridget Kennedy, Ardoughan, Ballina, and was one of three brothers who fell—John (32), No. 3811, 6th Battn., Connaught Rangers (21st March, 1918), and William (28), No. 10164, 1st Battn. Connaught Rangers, awarded the Distinguished Medal (second only to the Victoria Cross) for gallantry in the field (21st January, 1916). William is remembered on the Basra Memorial, Iraq, and John lies buried in Ste. Emilie Valley Cemetery, Villers-Faucon, France. (The 21st and 22nd of the months that they died were rather unlucky dates for the Kennedy brothers.-PJC).

 

  I would like to state that the enlistment papers of Stephen are online but are in a serious condition due to the bombing and subsequent fire in London, whereby millions of documents of World War 1 soldiers were either burned or water damaged, during the Second World War. From some of the damaged pages I have learned that he joined in Galway on 22/5/1913 and posted the same day. Shortly after he absented himself and lost 103 days’ pay. He rejoined on 8/11/1913 and was posted on 6/4/1914 and was wounded on 21st August and died on the 22nd. An Infantry Record Office memo of 24/9/1914 reported that Stephen was “missing in action” and this probably stemmed from the fact that it took some time for the collection of bodies from the battlefield and which had to properly identified and this would account for the delay in informing Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy of the death of their son. In 1919 John Kennedy (father) declared in a statement to the army authorities of all Stephen’s relatives which was countersigned by James Ahearn, JP, Ballina. Stephen made no will, but all his possessions, including his medals, were sent home to Ardoughan. None of these can be found, as the remaining members of the family left for England.

  Data from the Kennedy household in the 1901 Census was John and Bridget, and their family of Bridget, Michael, Thomas, Stephen, James and William; Patrick was absent. In the 1911 Census Patrick was back at home, and the others were: Michael, Stephen and James. Thomas, William and Agnes (went to America). John and Bridget had a family of nine, but two of the children died. John and Bridget are reputedly buried in Leigue cemetery but research, so far, has not found a headstone of their whereabouts.