Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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   Private William Tally Mallon
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 30/12/2015
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 165th Infantry Regiment (United States Army)
Date Of Birth: 15/11/1899
Died: 29/07/1918 (Killed in Action)
Age: 18
Summary      
William Tally Mallon’s parents were both from Tyrone but emigrated to America. William and Mary Ann had one son, born on 15th April 1899 in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father died three months after William Tally was born.His mother remarried and when William was about 6 years, the family moved to New York City. William Tally Mallon enlisted in the New York 165th Infantry in April 1917, not yet aged 17. Private Mallon was killed on 29th July 1918, at eighteen years of age, at the Battle of Ourcq near Seringes-et-Nesles, France, by the bullet of a German sniper. William Tally Mallon was buried in France but later re-interred in Galbally, Dungannon.
Private William Tally Mallon
Further Information
William Tally Mallon's mother, Mary Ann McKane, immigrated to the U.S. from Clonavaddy, Co. Tyrone in 1868 and married William Mallon.
William Mallon was born in Stewartstown, Co. Tyrone near Dungannon. His death is recorded in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia City Death Certificates 1803-1915 Film No. 1011828 digital folder 4008678 image No. 427 ref No. V2P51.They give an estimated birth date of 1833 in Ireland that he was white and married. It also records his death as being on 26th July 1899 in Philadelphia. His birth date on the family headstone at the family grave at St. John the Baptist church at Galbally near Dungannon states his birth as being 11th Sept 1831 and he was born in nearby Stewartstown.
Mary Ann was born in 1868 and was some 35 years younger than her husband William.
William and Mary Ann had one son, William Tally Mallon, who was born on 15th April 1899 in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This date implies his father died three months after William Tally was born.
William Mallon Snr's obituary notice is interesting showing that the family must have been of good standing thus meriting a High Mass rather than the normal Mass for the dead. The family lived in 330 Armat St. Germantown and attended St. Vincent's Church. Another interesting thing to note that Phoenixville newspapers were asked to copy the obituary, implying they probably had friends and relatives living in that area.
These were very Irish areas of greater Philadelphia. It is of interest to note that the licence for the inn or bar at 330 Armat Street was immediately applied for within days of William Senior's demise by his widow Mary A. Mallon. One can only suppose that Mary Ann Mallon maintained the bar for support for herself and her young son William Tally Mallon.
However at some stage his mother remarried a John Branigan. It would appear that when aged about 6 years, the family moved to New York City. He probably had his early education there.
William Tally Mallon enlisted in the New York 165th Infantry in April 1917, not yet aged 17. He sailed on board the Tunisian from Montreal to Europe, landing in Liverpool in early November 1917, before sailing from Southampton to France.
Private William Tally Mallon was killed on 29th July 1918, at eighteen years of age, at the Battle of Ourcq near Seringes-et-Nesles, France, by the bullet of a German sniper.
In 1919, Mary Ann returned to Ireland alone. By this point, she had lost her husband, her two brothers (both of whom were priests), and her son William Tally Mallon.
Private Mallon was buried on French soil, but Mary Ann sent a letter to the Adjutant General of the U.S. Army, asking for William Tally's remains. “He was my only child, and I would like to have him buried where I intend to be buried,” she wrote. The U.S. government agreed to her request.
Private Mallon's remains were returned to Dublin aboard the SS Millwater (a coal freighter which was owned by a coal company called Mellonie and Goulder of Ipswich) from Antwerp on Sunday 7th May 1920. Also on board were the remains of 61 other Irish/American Irish Soldiers who perished in WW1 fighting for the AEF. Six of these men where taken to Tyrone for burial. Thomas G Doris to Ardboe, Patrick Grimes to Killeenan (Kildress), William Tally Mallon to Galbally, Stephen Morris to Greencastle, Frank McDermott to Dunmoyle (Ballygawley) and Michael Kearney to Drumquin.
William Tally Mallon was re-interred in Galbally, Dungannon, County Tyrone on May 20, 1922.
On 19th May 2012, ninety years after his remains arrived in Ireland, the grave of Private 1st Class William Tally Mallon was rededicated in a ceremony that drew relatives from both the U.S. and Ireland. A new plaque thereon was unveiled by Offaly born Brig. Gen. James Cullen of the U.S. Army Retd. along with a member of the U.S. Consul in Belfast.
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Relevant Dungannon Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Galbally Altmore buried in Galbally 54.53702 -6.885524
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 Ireland-America website An American Hero Buried in Ireland William Tally Mallon
2 Tyrone Times newspaper Fallen American soldier honoured in Galbally
3 William T Mallon information Irish born or Irish American soldiers from other wars buried in Ireland or other places.
Dungannon District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2015-2023