Death Penny Miniature Ceremonial Jacket medals Folder of documents (including letter sent to Patrick's wife) || Patrick Lynch was my Grandfather, and I was named after him. He was born in Cavan in Ireland. Patrick was a Private in the Connaught Rangers, number 5324, and joined them in 1915. He was shipped out to India and was diverted to Basra. There is no picture of him at home. The picture in the folder is of his family in 1916, possibly to send to Patrick. My information has been found throught family. He died on the 11th of May 1916 North of Basra. Patrick's wife, my Grandmother, was Josephine Drum who also died soon after. His son, my father, didn't talk about it. The condolence letter is dated the 11th of August 1916. The delay between his date of death and the date on the letter is possibly from the distance needed for it to be delivered and because of the possibility that his unit had been captured. His name is on a recently restored Basra Memorial. His children were looked after by Josephine's brother after she died. The conditions in Basra were not good, and were recounted by the Jesuit Fr. Peal. Patrick died of disease, most likely cholera, and there was no record of him getting injured through battle. I never saw his original three medals. || || Medal || Medal and Death Penny of Patrick Lynch || Patrick Lynch || || Medal || Patrick Lynch || Death Penny of Patrick Lynch || || 3 Service Medals of Patrick Lynch || Patrick Lynch || Medals of Patrick Lynch || Medal || || Other || Patrick Lynch || Cover of family history research on Private Patrick Lynch. || Cover of family history research on Private Patrick Lynch || || Scroll commemorating Patrick Walsh. || Commemoration of Patrick Lynch || Patrick Lynch || Official document || || Patrick Lynch || Military Record of Patrick Lynch || Official document || || Cavan || Patrick Lynch and Josephine Drum || Home Front || Official document || Marriage Certificate of Patrick Lynch and Josephine Drum || || Photograph || Patrick Lynch's family || Photo of Patrick Lynch's family and details of members. || Photo of Patrick Lynch's family || || Official document || Infantry Record Office Army Form of Patrick Lynch || Patrick Lynch || London || || Scan of Death Penny and accompanying letter || Remembrance || Patrick Lynch || Other

Photograph of a performance featuring Napoleon and my father as Josephine || || Photograph of Micheal O'Kelly, Connaught Rangers, my father || Photograph

Joseph Kearns was my Grandfather. He was a part of the Connaught Rangers 1st Battalion, Regiment 8526. He enrolled in 1905 and was shipped out to India. He is in the Delhi Dubar roll of honour but is misspelled as Kerans. After he was discharged, he became a reservist. He became a worker for the Great Southern Railway in Kingsbidge in 1914. He was working 2 months there before he was drafted in to the British Expeditionary Force. He was among the first in battles such as at Mons. He was wounded in the 1st Battle of Ypres on the 8th of May 1915, which was reported in the Irish Times on the 26th of May. He was Acting Sergeant at the time. He married in Dublin, Ireland on the 31st of October. He was wounded in May 1916 at the 2nd Battle of Ypres, also reported in the Irish Times. He was discharged on the 4th of January 1919 due to his wounds. He received the Mons star and other medals, which we do not have. He was considered a contestable due to being in the 1st British Expeditionary Force. Our mother remembers Joseph going out in uniform, perhaps on Armistice Day. He was killed in an accident in March 1939 on the railway. He was too tall to work on the trams and too slight to work for Guinness. He had been working on the railway again after 1919. There is no record of the railway accident, a shunting accident which may have occurred because he was then deaf. Joseph married his best friend's fiancé after his friend died. She did of cancer soon after. He had 4 daughters and insisted on looking after them. || Photo from Dagshai 1910 (Joseph is the 7th from the left in the back row) ; Family photo of Joseph, his wife, stepsister and their 3 children (including our mother Mary) ; Death Certificate of Joseph Kearns || || Photo from Dagshai 1910 (Joseph Kearns is 7th from the left, back row) || Dagshai || Photograph || || Photograph || Joseph Kearns || Photo of Joseph Kearns, his wife, stepsister and 3 children, including my mother Mary. || Joseph Kearns and family photo || || Joseph Kearns || Official document || Death Certificate of Joseph Kearns