Ref ID: 3931
Title
Pte. H. McBratney, 14th Battalion. Royal Irish Rifles British War Medal Back
Description
Herbert McBratney was born in Mountcashel Street, in the Woodvale/Springfield Road area of Belfast. As a youth he joined the Young Citizen Volunteers of Belfast and when war came, they were to make up the nucleus of the 14th Battalion of the RIR when it was formed in September 1914 as part of the 36th Ulster Division. Herbert trained at Finner camp in Co. Donegal, and then at Bramshott in England, from where he embarked for France in October 1915. The 14th Battalion served in Amiens and Albert sections of the Somme. Herbert was amongst those wounded on the 1st July at the Somme attaching the German positions from Thiepval Wood. He recovered and rejoined the Battalion who were now in Flancers. In August 1917, most likely at Fortuin he was gassed, and as a result invalided out of the army and awarded the Silver Wound Badge. Herbert died at home on the 7th November 1918, aged 23 years from his war wounds. His cause of death is given - died of pulmonary tuberculosis at home address, which you can assume was from the result of being gassed in 1917. Herbert (Herbie) McBratney is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves section in Belfast City Cemetary.
Theme
Community Voices
Additional Information
Great War Project' Launch and Digital Roadshow (01/07/2018 Spectrum Centre)
Date
N/a
Classification
Medals
