9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
03/03/1897
Died:
16/08/1917 (Killed in Action)
Age:
20
Summary
John Kee was the son of Thomas and Margaret Jane Kee. He was born 3rd March 1897 near Coalisland. They were a farming family. He was a noted signaller and had qualified as an instructor at the Second Army School of Signalling. Lance Corporal John Kee was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action on 16th August 1917.
Further Information
John Kee was the son of Thomas and Margaret Jane Kee. John Kee and Margaret Abernethy were married on 24th May 1886 in the district of Dungannon.
John Kee was born on 3rd March 1897. He was one of eight children, seven surviving, all born in the Coalisland area.
The 1901 census shows John as 4 years old. He was living with the family at Lisnastrane, Meenagh, Tyrone. John's father Thomas was a farmer.
Family: Thomas Kee, Margaret Jane Kee, William James Kee (born 15th June 1888), George Kee (born 7th July 1890), Thomas Henry Kee (born 27th July 1892), Sarah Jane Kee (born 3rd December 1894), John Kee (born 3rd March 1897), obert Kee (born 30th April 1899), Elizabeth Kee (born 3rd November 1901), Margaret Kee (born 14th June 1905, died 2nd July 1905).
The 1911 census records 14 year old John as still at school. The family is still living at Lisnastrane, Meenagh, Tyrone.
John Kee was employed on the railways.
John Kee enlisted in Dungannon in October 1915.
Lance Corporal Kee trained as a signaller and then qualified as an Instructor at the Second Army School of Signalling later.
Lance Corporal John Kee was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action near Ypres on 16th August 1917 aged about 21.
From the Tyrone Courier and News dated Thursday 13 September 1917: Lance Corporal John Kee
Lance Corporal John Kee, 9th Inniskillings, killed in action near Ypres on 16th August1917. The deceased soldier, who was only 21 years of age, was a son of Mr Thomas Kee, farmer, Lisnastrane, Coalisland, and prior to enlisting in October 1915, was employed on the railway. In a letter of sympathy to the bereaved parents, the Rev John Redmond, Chaplain, says that Lance Corporal Kee was a fine soldier in the discharge of his duty on the battlefield, and in the face of great peril, he was brave and faithful even unto death and what greater or nobler thing could be said of any man? Lieutenant Wilson says:-
'He was one of the finest signallers I had and qualified as an Instructor at the Second Army School of Signalling some time ago. He was also a very gallant soldier, and his place will be very hard to fill indeed.'
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 14th September 1917:
Lance Corporal John Kee, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, killed, was a son of Mr Thomas Kee, farmer, Lisnastrane, Coalisland.
Lance Corporal Kee has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, nine kilometres north east of Ypres town centre in Belgium.
Lance Corporal Kee is commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial.
