1596 Pte John Beirne, 2nd Bn, Irish Guards

1596 Private John Beirne of the 2nd Battalion, Irish Guards died on the 2nd November 1914 in England. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) notes that he was the son of Patrick and Catherine Beirne, of Kilmore, Co. Roscommon and that he "served with Grenadier Guards in the South African War." He was 41 years old when he died.

Soldiers Died in The Great War notes that he was born in Kilmore, County Roscommon and enlisted in Dublin. His number with the Irish Guards dates to between January and April 1903. and so by the time Britain went to war with Germany in 1914, unless he'd extended his terms of service, John Beirne may well have been coming to the end of his period of service on the Reserve. Nevertheless, his medal index card reveals that by the 13th August 1914 he had disembarked in France.

John Beirne is buried in Great Warley (Christ Church) Cemetery in Essex. The CWGC states that "the cemetery was opened in 1860, and belongs to the Christ Church Great Warley Joint Burial Committee (representing three Parish Councils. There is also a cemetery in Woodman Road, opened in 1927.) It contains over 40 scattered War Graves; the graves of men of the Irish Guards recall the time spent by their Reserve Battalion at Warley Barracks. A War Cross is erected at the entrance."

Unusually, John's cause of death, tuberculosis of the lungs, is noted on his medal index card and so presumably he fell sick in France or Belgium, was returned to the 3rd Battalion in Essex and subsequently died.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (MIC)
Army Ancestry
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission