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Somme Stories - County Monaghan

Corporal Joseph Clarke

Joseph Clarke was born in Newbliss, son of William Clarke and his wife Sarah. In his early years he went to Canada with his father, but returned to Ireland at the outbreak of the war to enlist in the 36th (Ulster) Division.


On 1 July 1916, his brother, William, was killed near Hamel and Joseph was injured in the leg and stomach . He also lost an eye.


Surviving the war, Joseph was forced to leave Ireland in 1929 after he received a threat in the form of a ‘black hand’ on paper – a republican threat. He returned to Canada and opened a successful car mechanics. He also became Worshipful Master of Enniskillen LOL No. 387.


Joseph became involved in civic life as director of the Conservative Party in Ontario and Mayor of Englehart in 1960.



Lance Corporal Andrew Moorhead

Andrew Moorhead was the son of Bridget Moorhead, of Keenogue, Smithborough, Co. Monaghan, and the late Thomas Wright Moorhead. He was a member of Mullahara LOL No. 777. He was Killed In Action on 1 July 1916.



Private Robert Hamilton

Robert Hamilton was the son of Mary Hamilton, of Kilmore East, Ballinode, Monaghan.


He had been a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force in County Monaghan and had signed the Ulster Covenant in Ballinode in September 1912. He was also a member of Mullahara LOL No. 777.


Hamilton enlisted in Monaghan in the Royal Irish Fusiliers in March 1915. He fought at the Battle of the Somme in July 1916 and was invalided home to Kilmore East. He left Ballinode on Easter Saturday at the end of March 1918 and returned to his unit on the western front in France, where he was Killed In Action three weeks later.


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