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Pte. John Kelly
British Army 7th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment
from:Stoke on Trent
(d.22nd Aug 1918)
This is my Great Uncle John Kelly - his Sister Mary was my Nana. He had two brothers - Tom and Joe. John was born in 1900, a third child of Hugh and Elizabeth Kelly in Wolstanton, Burslem, Staffs. They lived nearby in 6 Grant Street, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent.
When the Great War stared, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers formed new service battalions which continued with the same service number series that was in use before the war. Due to this, it is possible to confirm that John enlisted in May 1915 at the Hanley Recruiting depot or via a recruiting officer. When he started his service with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers as a Private his service number was 20815. He must have been only 16 years old at this time. After his initial training in 1916, Private John Kelly was posted to the 2nd Battalion which was part of the 48th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division from 15th November 1916.
It is impossible to say which battles John served in and when his next transfer took place but as his Medal Index Card and Victory medal/British War Medal roll states, he was posted to the 7th (South Irish Horse) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment and his new regimental number was 26476. However, as 7th (SIH) Battalion War Diary from 1918 states, that they received reinforcements after their horrific casualties in March when the battalion was caught in the maelstrom of the German Kaiserschlacht (Kaiser's Battle) offensive. Extra men from Royal Dublin Fusiliers and Royal Munster Fusiliers arrived on the 1st May and 26th June and they were taken into the Battalion in Widdebroucq area, near Aire during July. Most likely Private Kelly was one of these reinforcements. At the end of July the Battalion’s strength was 31 officers and 830 other ranks and ready for action. At this time they were part of the 49th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division. On the 7th August they were moved into the front line moving from Oxelaere towards Boeschepe. Looks like then luck turned bad for John. On the 19th and 20th August the Battalion War Diary indicates 2 wounded, and on the 23rd August in the Boeschepe area 4 men killed and 3 wounded.
John Kelly most likely was one of these wounded and he was transported to the 62nd (1/2nd London) Clearing Station where he died of wounds on the 22nd August 1918. He was only 18 years old. He is buried Arneke British Cemetery in France, Grave Reference III.E.11 next to other 568 identified casualties.
