Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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19349   Lance Corporal William McMenemy
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 22/09/2021
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth: 06/11/1884
Died: 01/07/1916 (Killed in Action)
Age: 31
Summary      
William McMenemy was the youngest son of William and Mary McMenemy. He was born on 6th November 1884. He was one of nine children, all born in the Dungannon area. By the time of the 1911 census the William was living with the family in Glenadush, Derrygortrevy, County Tyrone. William is recorded as a 26 year old farmer. Lance Corporal William McMenemy was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on the 1st July 1916.
Further Information
William McMenemy was the youngest son of William and Mary McMenemy. William McMenemy and Mary Ward were married on 4th April 1873 in the district of Dungannon.
William McMenemy was born on 6th November 1884. He was one of nine children, all born in the Dungannon area.
Known family: William McMenemy, Mary McMenemy, Agnes McMenemy (born 6th August 1874), Margaret McMenemy (born 17th August 1876), James McMenemy (born 5th August 1878), Henry McMenemy (born 21st June 1880), Mary McMenemy (born 25th April 1882), William McMenemy (born 6th November 1884), Elizabeth McMenemy (born 18th April 1887), Ethel McMenemy (born 16th June 1889), Charlotte McMenemy (born 11th June 1892).
William’s father died on 7th February 1892 in Dungannon, aged 46.
The 1901 census shows the family to be living in Dungannon. William was not living with the family.
By the time of the 1911 census the William was living with the family in Glenadush, Derrygortrevy, County Tyrone. William is recorded as a 26 year old farmer.
William McMenemy lived with his wife in Henry Street, Dungannon.
Prior to the war he was employed in the firm of Messrs Stevenson & Co Ltd.
William McMenemy was a member of Holdfast L.O.L. No. 1620, Dungannon
He was instructor to 'B' Company of Dungannon Ulster Volunteer Force (U.V.F.).
William McMenemy enlisted in Bundoran, County Donegal.
Medal card
Private William McMenemy arrived in France with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 5th October 1915.
Lance Corporal William McMenemy was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on the 1st July 1916.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 13 July 1916:
Lance Corporal William McMenemy (Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers), wounded, lived with his wife in Henry Street, Dungannon. He was instructor to 'B' Company of Dungannon U.V.F.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 15th July 1916:
Lance Corporal William McMenemy, 9th Inniskillings, is reported wounded in action. His wife resides in Henry Street, Dungannon. He had previous army service, and acted as an instructor to the 'B' Company of the Dungannon Battalion U.V.F. Prior to the war he was employed in the firm of Messrs. Stevenson & Co Ltd.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 3 August 1916:
Colonel Ricardo has written to the relatives of Lance Corporal William McMenemy and Private Samuel Lambe, Tyrone Volunteers, (Dungannon) stating that they have been wounded and are in hospital in France.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 17 August 1916:
Officially reported wounded – Inniskillings – Privates J. McVey, Caledon; J. J O'Neill, Coalisland; and Lance Corporal W McMenemy, Dungannon.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 18th August 1916:
Lance Corporal William McMenemy, Tyrone Volunteers, Henry Street, Dungannon, wounded and missing. Corporal McMenemy, who was a time served soldier of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was the drill instructor of the B Company, Dungannon Battalion U.V.F.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 24 August 1916:
Mrs McMenemy, Henry Street, Dungannon, received a letter from Colonel Ricardo last week stating that her husband Lance Corporal William McMenemy, Tyrone Volunteers, was reported by his comrades as having been wounded on 1st July, but that he was unable to trace him as having been in hospital or having been assisted at any of the first aid stations. Later, a letter was received from the War Office to the same effect. Lance Corporal William McMenemy, who was a time-expired non-com. of the Inniskillings, was a popular drill instructor to B Company, Dungannon U.V.F.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 26th August 1916:
Mrs McMenemy, Henry Street, Dungannon, received a letter on Thursday from Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo, D.S.O., intimating to her that her husband, Lance Corporal William McMenemy, Tyrone Volunteers, had been reported by his colleagues as having been wounded on 1st July, but he had been unable to trace him as being in hospital or even having been assisted at any of the Field Aid Stations. Corporal McMenemy, who had been a time expired soldier of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was the popular drill instructor of the B Company Dungannon Battalion U.V.F., and had been employed in the finishing department of Messrs Stevenson & sons Linen Factory, Dungannon
From the Tyrone Courier dated 31 August 1916:
Colonel Ricardo has written to Mrs McMenemy, Henry Street, Dungannon, informing her that he husband, Lance-corporal William McMenemy, Tyrone Volunteers, who had previously reported wounded and missing, cannot be traced after every possible enquiry and that it is feared he fell on 1st July, and offering the sympathy of all ranks of the battalion in her sorrow.
Williams’s mother, Mary McMenemy, died in Dungannon on 10th January 1919, aged 67.
Memorials
Lance Corporal William McMenemy has no know grave has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.
Lance Corporal William McMenemy is commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial and on the Holdfast L.O.L. 1620 Dungannon Roll of Honour.
William is also commemorated in Castlecaulfield Presbyterian churchyard on the family gravestone. The inscription reads:
‘William McMenemy died 7th February 1892, and Mary his wife, died 10th January 1919 also; James, son, died 11th March 1893; William, son, Killed in Action July 1st, 1916; Ethel, daughter, died 5th September 1918; Agnes, daughter, died June 15th 1927.’
Read more
Relevant Dungannon Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Glenadush, Derrygortrevy Castlecaulfield Census listing in Glenadush, Derrygortrevy 54.508675 -6.798921
GRONI References
TYPE - B:Birth M:Marriage D:Death | GRONI | SIBLING: brother or sister | NOTES: spelling inconsistencies, etc.
Date Type Surname First name Relationship GRONI Ref Notes
04/04/1873 M Ward Mary Parent M/1873/T1/1428/2/27b
04/04/1873 M McMenemy William Parent M/1873/T1/1428/2/27a
06/08/1874 B McMenemy Agnes Sibling U/1874/112/1012/8/233
17/08/1876 B McMenemy Margaret Sibling U/1876/112/1012/9/348
05/08/1878 B McMenemy James Sibling U/1878/112/1012/11/236
21/06/1880 B McMenemy Henry Sibling U/1880/112/1012/12/354
25/04/1882 B McMenemy Mary Sibling U/1882/112/1012/13/391
06/11/1884 B McMenemy William Casualty U/1884/112/1012/15/96
18/04/1887 B McMenemy Eliza Sibling U1887/112/1012/16/285
16/06/1889 B McMenemy Ethel Sibling U/1889/112/1012/17/349
07/02/1892 D McMenemy William Parent D/1892/112/1012/17/19 died age 46
11/06/1892 B McMenemy Charlotte Sibling U/1892/112/1012/19/61
10/01/1919 D McMenemy Mary Parent D/1919/112/1012/29/69 died age 67
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 1901 Census lists "McMeneney" family Does not list William as living with the family at house 7 in Church Street, Dungannon
2 1911 Census lists McMenemy family Lists William as living with the family at house 10 in Glenadush, Derrygortrevy Tyrone
3 1st Presbyterian Dungannon William McMenemy, killed in action
4 FindAGrave.com Photo of William McMenemy's family headstone in Castlecaulfield
5 National Archives UK Medal Card can be purchased here
6 War Graves Photographic Project Photo of William McMenemy's family headstone in Castlecaulfield can be purchased here
Dungannon District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2015-2023