245864 Gnr. Joseph Patrick Cavanagh British Army 131st Hvy.Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery from:Neston, Cheshire (d.21st March 1918 ) Joseph Patrick Cavanagh was the fourth son, one of at least ten children of Thomas and Mary Cavanagh of Birkenhead. He was born in the second quarter of 1886 and married Sarah Fewtrell of Neston in Liverpool on 25 July 1904 at the Church of Our Lady and St Nicholas, Liverpool. Joseph, then of Bridge Street, Neston; first enlisted in Birkenhead in November 1914, joining the Cheshire Field Company, Royal Engineers before transferring to the 438th 1st (Cheshire) Field Company Royal Engineers TF which was allocated to the 3rd Division. His Service No. was then 446445. Killed at the age of 32 on 21 March 1918 Joseph Cavanagh left a wife, Sarah, and four children. In February/March 1918, Sarah:- - lost her daughter, Mary Elizabeth (aged 7) - she was buried on 21 February, exactly one month before Joseph was killed.
- lost her husband, Joseph, who was killed in France on 21 March.
- gave birth to a daughter, Sarah Winifred, on 24 March, three days after Joseph was killed.
The Birkenhead Advertiser carried the following: A HERO’S FATE : NESTON GUNNER KILLED We regret to announce the death of Gunner J. Cavannagh, Royal Garrison Artillery, of Cottage Close, Neston, who was killed in action on the 21st ult. Great sympathy is extended to Mrs Cavannagh and her six little ones. The following letter has been received from Gunner Cavannagh’s Battery Commander: On behalf of the battery I wish to sympathise with you in the loss of your husband, who was killed on the 21st March during a heavy bombardment. The battery had to remain on the guns in spite of the enemy shell-fire in order to support the infantry. Your husband was working a gun that had already been knocked out of action twice. He and two others were all that were left of the detachment, but they were carrying on, firing the gun as fast as was possible when another shell came and killed Gunner Cavannagh, who was within a yard of me at the time. He died immediately. I regret to say we were unable to get any of his personal effects to send back to you. All who knew him feel the loss of a friend. He was very plucky, could laugh in spite of danger, and was always willing to work till exhausted and ever cheerful in spite of rain, mud and bad billets.
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