I’m trying to do a bit of research on a local man John McIlroy Foster 262st Battery, 94tg Heavy Ant-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery.
From other details I have found he saw action at El Alamein and it states he was killed 10th January 1944 but checking his records he died in the Uk and is buried here in Northern Ireland.
Just would like to know what happened at this time was he injured in battle and then dying at home of those injuries? Also how life would have been out there.
It’s for a child project for VJ Day Celebrations.
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31-07-2020, 7:33 PM #1
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Any information on 94th HAA Royal Artillery
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31-07-2020, 9:08 PM #2
So these are his details from The Commonwealth War Graves Commission site (CwGC)
JOHN MCILROY FOSTER
Gunner
Service Number: 1486961
Royal Artillery
261 Bty., 94 H.A.A. Regt.
United Kingdom
Died 10 January 1944
36 years old
Buried or commemorated at
CRAIGS CHURCH OF IRELAND CHURCHYARD
Plot 16. Row J. Grave 5.
United Kingdom
It doesn't say that he was killed only that he died on 10 Jan which is true of all the records on the CWGC site.
Unfortunately service records for WW11 are still held by the MoD so it is very probable that you are not going to find any personal details of his service without them. The National Archives does have War Diaries but again the ordinary soldiers don't get a mention unless they did something very extraordinary (brave) whilst serving.
His death certificate is one way of finding out about the circumstances of his death
Craigs is a townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland using this site
I am sure you did as I have done and done a general search using 262st Battery, 94tg Heavy Ant-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery and found lots of tidbits of general information you can use.
I can't find a John McIlroy Foster on the 1911 Ireland census and using just John as the first name with a birth date of 1908 +/- 2 and county Antrim there are 3 possibles. Leaving ut the county but using the middle name - no results, without the middle name and all counties too many to choose from.
ChristinaSometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
William Burroughs
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01-08-2020, 8:44 AM #3
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First, a very, very warm welcome to Brit-gen.
Belfast Telegraph - Wed 12 Jan 1944
DIED ON ACTIVE SERVICE
Foster - January 10, 1944 at a Military Hospital, John M'ilroy Foster, A.A. Territorial Corps. Funeral tomorrow (Thursday) at 1 o'clock, from his late residence 4 Queen Street, Ballymena to Craigs Churchyard - Deeply regretted"dyfal donc a dyr y garreg"
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01-08-2020, 8:56 AM #4
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The same newspaper the next day carried this additional information -
"He had four years service in the Middle East with what is known as the local battery and arrived home shortly before Christmas on sick leave. A half brother, Able Seaman ---- is a prisoner of war in Jap(anese) hands and another half brother, -------, is in the Navy.
Names omitted in case still alive (policy) - will send a Private Message."dyfal donc a dyr y garreg"
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01-08-2020, 12:01 PM #5
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Belfast Telegraph - Wed 29 Mar 1944
DEATHS
SMYTH - Mar 28, 1944 (result of an accident), at the Waverley Hospital, Balymena, Bertie, beloved son of John and Sarah Smyth, Craigs, Cullybacky. Deeply regretted by Aunt May and Uncle Wille Kernoghan and cousins, 4, Queen Street, Ballymena."dyfal donc a dyr y garreg"
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01-08-2020, 12:31 PM #6
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The Ballymena Observer, Fri 14 Jan 1944 has an article which explains his coming home on 28 days leave but being hospitalised because of asthma, from which he had suffered some years.
I have sent you a Private Message"dyfal donc a dyr y garreg"
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14-08-2020, 8:46 AM #7
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14-08-2020, 8:51 AM #8
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Many thanks
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