Milltown and the Great War

Over 200,000 Irish served in the British forces during World War I with between 20 and 30,000 never to return. Many were from rural towns, living in a land that could not sustain them. For these, the army was a wage and an adventure. Others had emigrated to Britain years earlier and signed up before and after the outbreak of war. Many of these Irish men found themselves in the devastation and destruction of war, dying alone in countries far from home. William Henry has compiled a list of Galway men who fought and died in World War I. Below is a list of the Milltown men who fought and died. It is not however a definitive list, as many men are recorded simply as having being born in Galway.

CONLEY, Michael Private 13122 North West Riding Regiment
Killed in action: (France) 24 June 1917
Supplementary notes: Born: Milltown
Also recorded as Martin Conley Private 13122 of Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment 2nd BN. Died aged 35 on 05 June 1915. Buried RENINGHELST CHURCHYARD EXTENSION, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium Grave ref. 32. Husband of Edith Conley, of 30, Brightmore St., Sheffield.

COSTELLO, James Private 3/7517(7515) First Connaught Rangers
Killed in action: (Mesopotamia) 15 November 1917. Age 26
Supplementary notes: Enlisted Aston-on-Lyne (Huddersfield). Born: Milltown
Buried: Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery-Iraq (XII. B. 2)

DUGGAN, Patrick Private 19357/63126 Labour Corps/ Durham Light Infantry
2nd Bn. transf. to (19357) 33rd Coy. Labour Corps
Died of wounds: (France) 29 October 1917
Supplementary notes: Born: Milltown
Buried: MENIN ROAD SOUTH MILITARY CEMETERY Grave ref. III. H. 12

FLYNN, Martin Private 19477 Tenth Lancashire Fusiliers (“G” Coy. 10th Bn)
Death: 27 June 1916 Age 33
Supplemeantary notes: Son of John and Mary Fynn of Milltown; husband of Ellen Flynn (nee McLoughlin) of 11 Jones Street, Shaw Road, Oldham, Lancashire.
Remembered Thiepval Memorial –Somme_France Panel ref: Pier and Face 3 C and 3 D.

GOODWIN, Thomas Private 26606 Tenth Roal Dublin Fusiliers
Died of wounds: (France) 9 February 1917
Supplementary notes: Born: Milltown
Buried: Varennes Military Cemetery-Somme-France (I.H.85)

HEALEY/HEALY Thomas Private 5195 Coldstream Guards 3rd Bn
Killed in action: (France) 1 November 1914. Age 38
Supplementary notes: Born; Milltown, Son of Mary Healy, of Main St. Strabane, Co. Tyrone (?) , and the late Edward Healy
Remembered: Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial-Ieper-West Vlaanderen-Belgium (Panel 11)

HUGHES, Thomas Gunner 464 (454) Royal Garrison Artillery
Killed in action: (France) 26 September 1916
Supplementary Notes: Born: Milltown
Buried: Dantzig Alley British Cemetery-Mametz-Somme-France (VIII.E.9)

MADDEN, John Private 32503 First East Surrey Regiment
Killed in Action: (France) 10 October 1917. Age. 32
Supplementary notes: Son of Thomas and Winifred Madden of (Drum?) Milltown, Tuam.
Remembered: Tyne Cot Memorial Zonnebeke-West Vlaanderen-Belgium (79 to 80 & 163A)