| Joseph Henry Dennis was the son of Francis and Margaret Dennis. He was born about 1884.
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| The 1901 census lists Joseph as age 24, living with his parents at house 4 in Morgibbaghan, Brookeborough, County Fermanagh. Joseph was a farm labourer.
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| Joseph Dennis married Margaret O'Hara on the 4th July 1906 in the district of Fermanagh.
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| The 1911 census lists Joseph as age 32, living with his family at house 8 in Tattynuckle, Corralongford, County Fermanagh.
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| They went on to have four children.
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| Family: Joseph Dennis, Margaret Dennis, Francis A Dennis (born 7th October 1907), Margaret Isabella Dennis (born 17th January 1911), Joseph Dennis (born 31st July 1912), Anna Dennis (born 24th September 1913).
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| Joseph was a member of Foglish L.O.L. No. 1842.
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| Joseph Dennis enlisted in Fivemiletown. He was living in Brookeborough at the time.
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| Private Joseph Dennis was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action on Monday 8th May 1916.
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| On the date Private Dennis was killed, his unit was involved in a midnight raid on the German front line trenches north of Thiepval Wood.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 22th May 1916:
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| Private Joseph Dennis, another Fivemiletown man, with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (Fermanagh Battalion), has been killed in action.
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| From the Impartial Reported dated 25th May 1916:
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| Extract of letter from Colonel Ricardo to Mrs Dennis.
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| ‘I wish to convey to you the sympathy of all ranks of the battalion in the sorrow that has come to you by the death of your husband. He was a gallant soldier and a good comrade, and we mourn his loss.
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| Extract of letter from Captain McClean to Mrs Dennis:
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| It is great regret I send you the mill news of your husband’s death. He fell in action on 7th May. It may be some small consolation to you to know that his death was painless. He fell like the gallant soldier he was, doing his duty at his post. Though he had only been with us a short time, I as his company commander had learnt to value his good qualities. He was a man whose services no battalion can lose and not feel the loss.
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| From the Tyrone Constitution dated 7th July 1916:
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| The brethren of Foglish L.O.L. 1842 (Fivemiletown), have passed a resolution of condolence with Mrs Dennis of Corrylongford, on the death in action of her husband, Private Joseph Dennis of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who was a valued and active member of the Lodge.
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| Private J H Dennis is buried in Authuile Military Cemetery.
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| Private Joseph Dennis is commemorated locally on Fivemiletown War Memorial.
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| Private William Connor is listed on page 21 of the Fivemiletown book, from which most of these details come from. Many thanks to Mark Byers for the information.
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