Photograph of Germans living in Britain who were interned as enemy aliens in WW1

This is the story of my maternal grandfather and his cousin who both fought in WW1. both were named Patrick Rooney. Big Paddy was my grandfather from the Roslea Road in Clones, Co. Monaghan. The reference number on his medals is 14-145786 - DVR - P. Rooney A.S.C. Big Paddy worked for the Irish Greant Northern Railway and as he was walking to the British Army barracks to enlist a protestant friend of his Billy Lee shouted down from the railway signal cabin where he worked Hey Paddy where are you going I'm going to join the British Army to go to the War shouted back my grandfather... hold on til I get my coat and I'll go with you shouted Billy. And they went off to war together, both of them returning alive. He told my aunt that when they were half way to France if they could of gone home they would of. My grandfather had suffered a bite from a horse, shrapnel wounds and had lost a lot of his hearing. He had joined the Royal Field Artillery at Woolwich Arsenal and he served with them in Ypres and the Somme. He loaded the shells into the big guns. Once while walking across the fields in France or Belgium by complete chance he met his uncle a Mr. Carragher who was enlisted to a seperate Division. On another occasion he had a close escape from death while returning to England from leave. He missed his boat and stayed the ngiht in Dublin, his boat being sunk by the German Navy that night. The other Paddy Rooney was from Millbrook in Clones, Co. Monaghan a cousin of Big Paddy above, and he enlisted seperately in the British Army serving with the Royal Munster Fusiliers. He was reported to have served in the Holy Land and Iraq (as evidenced by his photo attached) the reference number on his medal attached is 5662 A. SJT. P.Rooney R.MUN.FUS. he returned to Clones after the war joining the Old IRA rising to Staff Captain and fought against the British Army during the war of Independence. He died soon after in 1922 possibly of TB. || Picture of Big Paddy Rooney in military uniform Photo of Big Paddy's medals, back & front Picture of Paddy Rooney in Baghdad in uniform Photo of Paddy's medal, back and front || || Big Paddy Rooney, Roslea Road, Clones || Western Front || || Western Front || Big Paddy's 1st Medal - Side 01 || || Western Front || Big Paddy's 1st Medal - Side 02 || || Western Front || Big Paddy's 2nd Medal - Side 01 || || Western Front || Big Paddy's 2nd Medal - Side 02 || || Middle East || Paddy Rooney Baghdad Photo || || Middle East || Paddy Rooneys Service Medal - side 01 || || Paddy Rooneys Service Medal - Side 02 || Middle East

Kaart van het eiland Bute. Opschrift bovenaan: The Buteman and visitor’s list. Leading journal on the West Coat. Largest Guaranteed Circulation. Every Friday – one penny. / The “Buteman Guide”. Map of Bute.” Opschrift handgeschreven midden: schone stad, met pijl naar Skeoth Wood; vervolg tekst: met den boot naar Glasgow. Opschrift handgeschreven onderaan: pijl vanaf Mountstuart House: Hier woonde vlughtelinge sept. 1914, moeder van A. Staes tot einde 1916. Papa Alfons Staes en mama Emma Van Horick en Papa Florent, familie van Gelrode en andere … Handgeschreven notitie komt van Georges Staes, zoon van Florent en vader van deelnemer Patrick Staes. Handgeschreven notitie in de marge: Daarna zijn wij naar Glasgow gaan wonen om ons brood beter te verdienen (notitie geschreven door Alfons of Florent). Afmetingen: 50,5 x 31cm. Deze kaart is familiebezit. || In september 1914 is de familie Alfons Staes–Emma Van Horick (overgrootouders van deelnemer Patrick Staes) gevlucht van Gelrode naar het eiland Bute waar de overgrootvader werkte als boswachter in de bossen van de Duke of Bute. Ook de broer van de overgrootvader is met zijn familie daar naartoe gevlucht. Ze woonden op het domein van de hertog. Ze zijn daar twee jaren gebleven, nadien zijn ze naar Glasgow gegaan, waar de overgrootvader en één van de zoons in de scheepsbouw werkten. Ze verbleven in Glasgow tot zeker het einde van de oorlog. De juiste terugkeerdatum is niet gekend, vermoedelijk 1919. Op Bute of in Glasgow was Florent Staes bevriend geraakt met de Ier Patrick O’Neill. Om die reden draagt de deelnemer de voornaam Patrick, als herinnering aan de beste vriend van zijn grootvader. || || Kaart van het eiland Bute. Opschrift bovenaan: The Buteman and visitor’s list. Leading journal on the West Coat. Largest Guaranteed Circulation. Every Friday – one penny. / The “Buteman Guide”. Map of Bute.” Opschrift handgeschreven midden: schone stad, met pijl naar Skeoth Wood; vervolg tekst: met den boot naar Glasgow. Opschrift handgeschreven onderaan: pijl vanaf Mountstuart House: Hier woonde vlughtelinge sept. 1914, moeder van A. Staes tot einde 1916. Papa Alfons Staes en mama Emma Van Horick en Papa Florent, familie van Gelrode en andere … Handgeschreven notitie komt van Georges Staes, zoon van Florent en vader van deelnemer Patrick Staes. Handgeschreven notitie in de marge: Daarna zijn wij naar Glasgow gaan wonen om ons brood beter te verdienen (notitie geschreven door Alfons of Florent). Afmetingen: 50,5 x 31cm. Deze kaart is familiebezit. || English || Map || Nederlands || Isle of Bute (Groot-Brittannië)