Regiment/Service:
3rd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Summary
John Devlin lived at Ballynahone, Ardtrea, Coagh. John was the brother of Private James Devlin. Both served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. John took part in the battles of Messines, La Bassee, Pluggst Wood and others. He was wounded at Richburg on 16th May 1915 in both hands very badly, one hand being almost blown off. Private Devlin spent two months in hospital in Rouen. An article in the newspaper from 1916 reports that he had returned home after having completed his term.
| John Devlin lived at Ballynahone, Ardtrea, Coagh.
|
| Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
The History of Coagh booklet lists Private John Devlin as having served with the 3rd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in the war.
|
|
| John was the brother of Private James Devlin. Both served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
|
| Both brothers had fought sided by side in some desperate engagements in the early days of the war and were both in the great struggle for Mons, when his brother was taken prisoner.
|
| John took part in the battles of Messines, La Bassee, Pluggst Wood and others, but he said the biggest fight was at Richburg, where he was wounded on 16th May 1915 in both hands very badly, one hand being almost blown off.
|
| Private John Devlin was two months in hospital in Rouen, from whence he was removed to Cardiff, and returned to Coagh from there.
|
| An article in the newspaper from 1916 reports that he had returned home after having completed his term.
|
| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 29th January 1916:
|
|
| Private James Devlin, at present a prisoner of war in Limburg, Germany, writes that he is quite well and received the parcels sent to him all right. His brother, John, also of the Inniskillings, has returned to his home at Ballinahone, Coagh, after having completed his term. Both brothers fought sided by side in some desperate engagements in the early days of the war and were both in the great struggle for Mons, when James was taken prisoner by the Germans. John afterwards took part in the battles of Messines, La Bassee, Pluggst Wood, etc. but he says the biggest fight was at Richburg, where he was wounded on 16th May in both hands very badly, one hand being almost blown off. He was two months in hospital in Rouen, from whence he was removed to Cardiff, and has now returned home. He still looks in the pink of condition after what he has come through. James’ brother-in-law, Private Peter O’Neill, who enlisted at the outbreak of war and fought with James at Mons, was afterwards shot at the Dardanelles, while his brother Joe has just been killed in action in France, making the third of the O’Neill family who has laid down his life for his country.
|
 |
