On this day 100 years ago (12th January 1916), Denis Kelleher of Flintfield was killed in action on the Calais area of France, part of the Western Front of WWI at the time. He was 36 years of age.
He was a guardsman with the Irish Guards 2nd Battalion, with whom he enlisted in Deptford, Surrey. He is buried in Grave A21 in Rue-du-Bacquerot Graveyard (13th London), Laventine. The inscription by Mr J. Kelleher Keale Bridge reads: “On his soul, Jesus have Mercy”.
The last will of Denis Kelleher (written on 3rd August 1915)
============
KELLEHER DENIS 1916-01-12 FRANCE
- Place of birth: MILLSTREET, CO. CORK
- Rank: PRIVATE
- Service No.: 5103
- Mil. Unit: IRISH GUARDS, 2nd Battalion
- Commemoration – RUE-DU-BACQUEROT (13TH LONDON) GRAVEYARD, LAVENTIE , Grave A21. Inscription by Mr J. Kelleher Keale Bridge, “On his soul, Jesus have Mercy” (probably his brother Jerry)
- Date of death: Wed Jan 12 1916, age 36, Pays de Calais [death cert]
- Son of Patrick and Kate Kelleher, brother of Honora, all of Flintfield, Millstreet
- [last will]
It is likely that he was born on January 29th 1882 in Tooreenbawn [baptism]
=======
This is his family from the 1901 census. Patrick was an Agricultural Labourer. At this stage Denis was 21 and it seems he may have been in South Africa fighting in the Boer War at this stage.
Residents of a house 7 in Gurtageen (Flintfield), Keale, Cork
| Surname | Forename | Age | Sex | Relation to head | Religion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kelleher | Patrick | 55 | Male | Head of Family | Roman Catholic |
| Kelleher | Kate | 53 | Female | Wife | Roman Catholic |
| Kelleher | James | 17 | Male | Son | Roman Catholic |
| Kelleher | Hanoria | 15 | Female | Daughter | Roman Catholic |
| Kelleher | Jerry | 12 | Male | Son | Roman Catholic |
======
The 2nd Battalion were the reserve battalion of the Irish Guard.
Cork Casualty of 1916 OTD Pte Denis Kelleher of Millstreet Irish Guards pic.twitter.com/rZ9I79WmQL
— Jean Prendergast (@Cork1914to1924) January 12, 2016
