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Pte. Thomas Gilligan
British Army 6th Btn. Royal Irish Fusiliers
from:Dublin
(d.15th Aug 1915)
Thomas Gilligan – my Great Grandfather – was born on 21 October 1871, one of four children and the only son of Thomas and Catherine Gilligan (nee Wright), of Wicklow, County Wicklow in Ireland. No information is known about Thomas’ early education or his interests and hobbies however we do know that in Dublin; on 11 November 1893; Thomas enlisted as Private 4003 in the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, joining the battalion at Newry two days later. His surviving attestation papers state his civilian profession as painter and he is described as being 5’ 4†in height with red hair and grey eyes.
Thomas spent his first year on home service however on 10 November 1894 he commenced a prolonged period of active service in India; returning home on 15 February 1899. In November of the same year Thomas was again on active service; this time in South Africa during the Boer War where he remained until 10 September 1902. For the remaining period Thomas was on home service until 10 November 1905 when he received his discharge; thus beginning 5 years in the reserves.
Thomas married Rachel White, a Nursery Maid, in 1907 and together they raised four children while living in Dublin – the eldest being my grandfather George William Gilligan (b 1908); also Frederick (b 1911), Thomas (b 1909) and Annie (known in the family as Nancy) (b 1914).
At the outbreak of war in August 1914 Thomas re-enlisted; this time as Private 13757 in the 6th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers. Now aged 42; Thomas marched through the streets of Dublin to the docks en route to Liverpool with his battalion. This was the last time he would be seen by his 6 year old son George who could recall walking alongside the column.
The battalion was part of the 10th (Irish) Division; part of Kitcheners New Army made up generally of raw recruits with a sprinkling of older men who had already seen military service (i.e. Boer War and India) and who had either been recalled to the colours or had volunteered on the outbreak of war. With his age and prior military service it can easily be imagined that Thomas would have been looked up to by many of the younger men for guidance and support as they went through their training at Basingstoke
The 6th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers received orders to embark for service in the Dardanelles on 9 July 1915 as part of the 31st Brigade, 10th (Irish) Division. At the time the battalion was with the rest of the 10th (Irish) Division (less Divisional Artillery which had been sent to France previously) in Basingstoke having just completed their training. The battalion left Basingstoke in successive train loads on 12 July arriving at Keyham Dockyard, Plymouth where they were to embark upon the SS Canada. Owing to non-arrival of the vessel, the battalion located to a rest camp at Pull Point, Devonport overnight.
On 13 July the battalion and ammunition column commenced embarkation upon the SS Canada, setting sail the following day at 5pm. The vessel passed Gibraltar on 18 July and arrived in Malta on 21 July for coaling. The vessel then sailed for Alexandria; arriving on 24 July. On 26 July the vessel arrived at Mudros Harbour, Lemnos Island and during the period to 31 July the battalion participated in the disembarkation and sorting of stores and equipment; it having been recognised that equipment had not been loaded securely or in the correct order. On the evening of 31 July the SS Canada sailed for Mytilene Harbour, Lesbos Island arriving on the 1st August. During the next few days the battalion undertook route marches around the island.
On 5 August the battalion received orders to be prepared to move by 12 noon the following day to a destination not yet stated. At 5-30 pm on 6 August the battalion sailed to Suvla Bay, Gallipoli aboard the minesweepers “Snaefell†and “Honeysuckleâ€. At this time the battalion comprised 778 officers and other ranks.
At 4-35am on 7 August the “Snaefell†and “Honeysuckle†arrived off Suvla Bay under heavy shrapnel fire. A landing was made at 8-30am with the battalion going into action in support of the 5th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers and East Yorkshire Regiment at 9am the same morning. On its first day of action the battalion suffered casualties of 1 officer wounded, 12 other ranks killed and 76 other ranks wounded or missing.
Overnight the battalion occupied trenches atop Hill 53 and during the following days provided support and reinforcement to other troops attacking Hill 70. During the period 8 to 9 August the battalion suffered further casualties of 5 officers killed, 12 officers wounded or missing, 12 other ranks killed and 220 other ranks wounded or missing. The battalion was suffering from the environment in which they were serving and existed on the “iron†rations with which they had landed since no supplies were able to get to them.
Having received supplies late on the 9th August; the battalion held Hill 53 until relieved by the Essex Regiment on the 10th August. The battalion was rested in reserve lines for the next few days. The battalion moved into support trenches on 13 August and the following day received reinforcements of 5 officers and 159 other ranks from the battalion reserve at Mudros.
During 15 to 16 August the battalion was engaged in heavy fighting against Turkish Infantry. It was during this action that Thomas Gilligan was killed; one amongst 10 officers and 210 other ranks killed, wounded or missing in the battalion during the engagement on the Kiretch Tepe Ridge. Thomas Gilligan’s body was never recovered however his name is recorded on the Helles Memorial and in his local church at St Stephens in Dublin.
On 1 September the battalion was now recorded as comprising just 5 officers and 388 other ranks, as well as losses through enemy action the battalion was increasingly suffering from ill health.
The impact of Gallipoli was not confined to just the battlefield since Thomas’ death had major repercussions for his wife and children. Soon after being notified of his death the young Gilligan children who were now living in poverty were split up since Rachel was unable to cope. Annie and Thomas; who had sadly been blinded by meningitis were sent to live with relatives.
In 1918 George was admitted to the Royal Hibernian Military School (RHMS) in Dublin. In November that year Rachel, who had suffered the amputation of a leg; died of tuberculosis at the age of 33. The following year Frederick joined George at the RHMS.
Following closure of the RHMS George joined Group No. 1 at the newly opened Boys Technical School in Chepstow and then continued to serve in the army with the Tank Corps. Frederick moved to the Duke of Yorks School at Shorncliffe, Dover and then served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Both brothers saw service throughout the Second World War. George left the army in 1949 and then went on to work as a Civilian Technical Officer with the War Department, retiring in 1974; he died in 1999. Frederick, who had been awarded the Military Medal for bravery in Italy in 1944 was accidentally shot and killed while serving with the occupation forces in Salzburg, Austria on 1 October 1945. Thomas, although blind learnt to play and tune the piano, he died in Belfast in 1975. The last of Thomas Gilligan’s children was his daughter Annie who died in Surrey in December 2001.
The family keeps Thomas Gilligan’s in their memories with his photograph (reproduced above) featuring prominently in the homes of my self and my father and on each anniversary of his death he and his family are remembered.
