CARSON, Robert

Major, 139th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
Died: 24/08/1916
Age: 37

Interred in Martinsart British Cemetery
Remembered on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

Robert was born in Craigavad on 6th April 1879. He was the second son of William Carson, a solicitor (later a clerk of the peace for the city of Belfast) and his wife Isabella Carson (nee Major).

Educated at Campbell College, Belfast (1894-1896) and Trinity College, Dublin, Robert went to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, from were he went to the Royal Regiment of Artillery with the rank of Second Lieutenant on 26th May 1900.

He was a member of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club, and also played for the 2nd XV. of the North of Ireland Football Club.

Robert spent eight years serving in India and on 24th January 1902, he married Helen Beatrice Heyworth, of Liverpool, in St. Thomas' parish church, Bombay.

He was promoted to Lieutenant on 11th February 1902, and then Captain on 26th May 1913.

Robert was at a home station on the outbreak of the war and went to France almost immediately. He was mentioned in despatches in late 1915 and promoted Major on 30th December 1915.

He died after having left his dugout during a heavy bombardment, on 24th August 1916, to check that the men of his company were safely under cover.

CARSON – August 24, killed in action, Robert Carson, Major, Royal Garrison Artillery, the dearly-loved husband of Helen Beatrice Carson, Bredon, near Tewkesbury.

Liverpool Echo, 7th September 1916

TORRENS, James Claude

Sec.-Lieut. James C. Torrens

Second Lieutenant, "B" Co. 19th Batt., Machine Gun Corps
Died: 30/05/1918
Age: 27

Remembered on Soissons Memorial
Remembered on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

James Claude Torrens was born in New Zealand in 1891. He was the son of James Torrens and his wife Matilda Torrens (nee Bradshaw). His parents had been married in 1888, his father then a farmer in Kildowney, Ballymena, and his mother, Matilda, hailing from the neighbouring townland of Ballynatormey.

It is unclear when the family moved to New Zealand but they had returned to Ireland by 1901 where they are recorded in the 1901 census as living in Ballymullen, Bangor.

Educated at the Municipal Techical Institute, James became a draughtsman in the drawing office of Workman, Clark & Co. shipyard.

The memorial panel from the Soissons Memorial
on which James is recorded

On the outbreak of the war, James joined the Y.C.Vs. were he gained the rank of Lance Corporal and fought at the Somme on 1st July. Afterwards he transferred to the Machine Gun Corp were he became a Sergeant and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 26th June 1917.

The Belfast Newsletter of 22nd June 1918 reported that "A letter has been received by his father from his captain, which states – 'From all accounts I hear he went back to fetch out one of the gun-teams, which would have been surrounded had he not gone back. His work at all times has been of the highest standard, and he did, I know, fine work in the last fight. He ws certainly one of my best section officers, and his death is a great blow to me.'"

His brother, William, was an officer in the American Army and both are recorded on the memorial scroll in Ballygrainey Presbyterian Church.

Portrait image from Larne Times courtesy of Nigel Henderson.

GRACEY, William Parr

Trooper, Natal Mounted Police, Second Boer War

Interred in Pretoria Old Cemetery, South Africa
Remembered on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

William Parr Gracey was born on the 9th February 1882 in Monaghan. He was the eldest child of James Gracey from Co. Down , manager of the Monaghan branch of the Belfast Bank, and his wife Elizabeth Whitla a local Monaghan girl. The family home at the time being  Dublin St., Monaghan.

Why he ended up in South Africa at such a young age is unclear but go he did and he enlisted in the Natal Police on 5 April 1899. His service number was 2308.

The Second Boer War began on 12th October 1899. After a number of small engagements the British withdrew to Ladysmith. The northern Natal Police, approx 90 men, where also brought to Ladysmith which became besieged by the Boers on 2nd November 1899. The siege lasted for 118 days before it was relieved.

Siege of Ladysmith — a bird’s-eye view by A. Sutherland 1900.  http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/doyle/boerwar/17.html

The Times, 9th March 1900

It is reported that the Natal Police casualties during the siege were one man killed, three wounded and three died of disease.

One of those was the unlucky William Gracey who is recorded as dying of enteric fever on 27th February, the 117th day of the siege – and the last day – the relief column arriving the next day 28th February 1900.

Further information on the Natal Police can be found at www.angloboerwar.com

MOHAN, Henry Deacon

Captain, 10th Batt., King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)

Died: 11/04/1916

    

Remembered on Basra Memorial 

Remembered on family memorial in Bangor cemetery

Henry (Harry) Mohan was born on the 2nd January 1889 at Haywood Avenue, Ballynafeigh. He was the son of George Mohan, a Clerk in a linen warehouse, and his wife Isabella Mohan (nee Hempton).

A few years later his father had become manager of a hemstitching factory and in 1900 the family moved to Ashley Avenue in Belfast.

Educated at Queen's University, where he was a member of the OTC, Harry took up the linen business and was a clerk in the Managers Dept. and by 1911 the family had moved to Cromwell Road in Bangor.

In 1913, Harry sailed from Glasgow in the ss Cameronia to go the the United States to his uncle, William Wishaw, in Brooklyn were he took up a position in the linen trade there.

When war broke out, Harry left his employment and travelled to France with a mule transport before returning to Belfast. After preliminary training with the 10th (Reserve) Battalion he was gazetted as temporary Second-Lieutenant in February 1915 and was then posted to the 6th Service Battalion.

Soldiers of the 10th Battalion, King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, resting during route march
at Swanage with officers: Captain Charles Clarence Brachi, Harry Deacon Mohan, Walter McFarlane. www.kingsownmuseum.com KO2928/05-126

Harry then saw service in the Gallipoli campaign from 6th October 1915. His battalion were evacuated from Gallipoli due to heavy losses and illness and sailed for Port Said in February 1916 before travelling onto the Persian Gulf, disembarking at Basra on 27th February for service in the Mesopotamian campaign. During the voyage, on 24th February 1916, he was appointed to Temporary Captain and given command of a company.

Harry was slightly wounded on 5th April 1916 whilst in the trenches at Hannah during the first attack on Turkish positions at the Orah canal. He was then reported as missing in action on 9th April 1916 at Sannaujat. In December 1917 the War Office officially declared him as killed in action (or died of wounds) on the 11th April 1916.

Henry Deacon Mohan is also commemorated on the Queen’s University War Memorial and in their Book of Remembrance.

MOHAN -- Reported wounded and missing April 11, 1916, now presumed by War Office killed in action (or died of wounds) on that date, Captain H. D. Mohan, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, dearly-loved and eldest son of George Mohan, Cromwell Road, Belfast. GEORGE MOHAN.

Belfast Newsletter, 6th December 1917