| The History of Coagh booklet lists Stoker Bernard Heron as having served on board H.M.S Empress in the war.
|
|
| Only one relevant Bernard Heron could be found in the census results, listed below.
|
| The 1901 census lists a Bernard Heron as age 34 living with his mother at house 15 in Ballyloughlin, Moneyhaw, County Londonderry. Unfortunately, a Mid Ulster Mail report from 11th April 1903 records his death.
|
| Bernard Heron joined the Navy around 1903.
|
| Stoker Bernard Heron served on board H.M.S Empress during in the war.
|
| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 24th August 1918: Coagh
|
|
| Stoker Bernard Heron, H.M.S. Empress, is on leave with his friends at Coagh, He has seen over fifteen years of seafaring life, and since the war broke out he has been in some of the sea encounters with the enemy, his vessel taking part in the Jutland battle.
|
| Stoker Heron was home on leave in August 1918. The ship’s log of the Empress dated 29th August 1918 records the return of one rating and one stoker from leave.
|
| No record of his Navy career can be found.
|
| Incidentally, there was a Lance Corporal Bernard Heron, born in Drumconvis in 1917, who became a POW in Malaya in 1942.
|
 |
