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John Donlon

Rank: Private
Street:
Townland: Clonmore
Town/Village: Killashee
Civil Parish: Killashee
Catholic Parish: Killashee
Country:
Alternative Address: Longford, Co. Longford; Kilmore Upper, Killashee, Co. Longford
Census 1901:
Census 1911: Possible
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Longford/Cloondara/Kilmore_Upper/587079/
Regiment/Unit: Royal Irish Fusiliers, 1st Garrison Battalion, "A" Company; [formerly Leinster Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 2nd, Battalion & 1st Battalion]
Regiment Number: G.45324; [3891]
Date of Death: 04-11-1919
Cause: Heat stroke at sea, on the ship "Colombo"
Memorial: Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey (addenda panel)
Information:

John* was born c.1871, likely near Curry, Co. Longford**. The family later resided in Killashee, as John's father and wife were resident there at the time of his death. He was one of a large family, having two brothers (Denis and Peter) and four sisters, (Mary, Katie, Annie and Elizabeth)*** who lived in Grillagh, Garden City and Long Island, New York. One aunt, Anne Malone, lived in Moydow. He married Mary Murtagh (born 1868) of Clonmore, Kilashee, on 4 February 1914. They did not have any children.

John had previously served with the Leinster Regiment prior to reenlisting in October 1914, when he was posted to the 3rd Battalion, before being posted to the 2nd Battalion in January 1915. In June 1915 he was transferred to the Depot, before being transferred back the 3rd Battalion a month later. John was then posted to the Royal Irish Fusiliers in December 1917. During the war he served in both France - where he received a gun shot wound to the arm on the 31 May 1915 - and in India in from 1917 to 1919. 

John died at sea due to heat stroke. He was travelling on the HMS Colombo, likely returning home from service in India. 

Parents Names: Son of Peter Donlon and likely Mary (née Cunningham), of Killashee
Notes: *The civil record has his surname as Donlon, however the Catholic Church records records the family name as Donnellan. **John gave the parish of his birth as Templemichael on his army attestment. ***By 1919 two of John's siblings, Denis and Mary were living in Killashee and Moydow; Peter was in England and his remaining sisters were living in Long Island, New York.
Links:

Link to CWGC entry; possible Civil Record of birthCivil Record of marriage

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