One in 10 million... Cork man who died in WWI

My grand-uncle John O’Connell was a Cork man who was one of the estimated ten million soldiers who died in World War I.

John - sometimes referred to in the records as Connell - was among the many Irish victims of the conflict who were killed in the disastrous Gallipoli campaign in Turkey in 1915.

A few years ago, I got to visit his grave in Portianos Military Cemetery, on the west side of Mudros Bay in the island of Lemnos in Greece. He died on October 10, 1915, Memorial ID, 21482968, service no 42045.

The cemetery where his remains lie is on the outskirts of the village on Anzac Street, which is adjacent to the communal cemetery.

During the Gallipoli Campaign, Mudros became a considerable camp for Commonwealth forces and many of the wounded were evacuated for treatment in its hospitals.

John died in one of these hospitals from wounds received at Gallipoli at the age of 29.

He was born on June 1, 1886, the son of David and Ellen (nee Ahern) O’Connell. In his family he had four siblings, two of them dying when they were two years old. John grew up with his family in Ballinbrittig, Carrigtwohill, and worked as an agricultural labourer. His mother died on September 19, 1910.

John’s brother Denis, who married Margaret O’Brien in 1912, was my grandfather.

John enlisted in 1915 in Cork in the Royal Garrison Artillery at the age of 29, and was a rank gunner in the 10th Heavy Battery.

On June 27, 1915, the Division received orders to prepare for service at Gallipoli.

The plan by the allies - Britain, France and the Russian Empire - was to weaken the Ottoman Empire, one of the opposing powers, by taking control of the Turkish straits.

John’s divisional HQ embarked from Liverpool on July 9 and by the end of the month, most units had assembled on Lemnos.

On August 6-7, 1915, the Division landed at Suvla Bay, and carried out an attack on Chocolate Hill. This landing was a failed attempt to break the stalemate, which resulted in nearly 20,000 Allied casualties, as British-led forces were unable to advance inland against Ottoman and German troops.

On September 29, 1915, my grand-uncle’s Division withdrew from Gallipoli and moved to Mudros. Conditions on Gallipoli defied description. The terrain and close fighting did not allow for the dead to be buried. Flies and other vermin flourished in the heat, which caused epidemic sickness.

In October, 1915, winter storms caused much damage and human hardship.

John died of his wounds on October 10, 1915, and is buried in Portianos Military Cemetery. R.I.P.

The Division suffered a loss of 9,363 officers and men killed, wounded or missing in battle between 1915 and 1918.

The Royal Garrison Artillery, RGA, developed from fortress-based artillery located on British coasts. From 1914, when the army possessed very little heavy artillery, it grew into a very large component of the British forces. It was armed with heavy large calibre guns and howitzers that were positioned some way behind the frontline and had immense destructive power.

During John’s time in the RGA, he was awarded three medals, but only one remains in the family - it was called the ‘dead man’s penny’ and sent to the next of kin after the death of a soldier in World War I.

When he died, the government sent back his coat, medals and £5 to his family. I remember seeing his coat which was a Crombie, on my grandfather’s bed when I was young.

I feel very honoured to have visited John’s grave, and to be able to take that memory of a very brave soldier with me.

There are many Irish soldiers buried in the same graveyard, two stones from John’s grave was a person by the name of Murphy from Kinsale, who died on the same day.

Just recently, I discovered that there is a monument in Midleton (on the ‘Baby Walk’) featuring all of those from the locality who lost their lives in World War I, and John is featured on it. May they all rest in peace.

Angela Robertson, nee O’Connell, lives in Westhill in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The Cork Branch of The Western Front Association will hold a ceremony at the War Memorial at 11am on Saturday, November 11, where it will remember those from all counties who died in the conflict - and the loved ones they left behind. An inclusive, ecumenical service, it will be attended by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Mayor of Cork County (or their deputies), members of the Diplomatic Corps, the Defence Forces, Gardaí, Fire Brigade and veterans organisations. All are welcome to attend and lay a floral tribute for an ancestor who died in the war. The innocent victims of war will also be remembered at this ceremony by the placing of a wreath on the Hiroshima memorial.