1st / 6th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
20/09/1894
Died:
29/10/1918 (Died of Wounds)
Age:
24
Summary
Alan Grey Porter was the eldest son of Thomas and Mary Porter. They were married about 1893. Alan was born on 20th September 1894 in County Wicklow. Grey lived with the family in Dublin. His father was described as a civil servant. Lieutenant (acting Captain) Alan Grey Porter, M.C., was serving with the 1st Battalion, attached to 6th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers when he died on 29th October 1918, aged 24. The CWGC records his parents, Thomas and Mary Porter as living at Clogher Park.
Further Information
Alan Grey Porter was the eldest son of Thomas and Mary Porter (nee Wrench). They were married about 1893.
Alan Grey Porter was born on 20th September 1894 in Rathdown, County Wicklow.
Known family: Thomas Stewart Porter, Mary Porter, Olga Lavinia Porter (born about 1894, County Wicklow), Alan Grey Porter (born 20th September 1894, Rathdown, County Wicklow), Guinevere ‘Gwanon’ Mary Porter (born about 1896, County Dublin), Arthur Digloy Porter (born 27th June 1697, Rathdown,County Wicklow), Evelyn Kathleen Porter (born about 1899, County Dublin), Wanda ‘Manola’ Eleanor Mae Porter (born about 1902, County Dublin).
The 1901 census records Grey as 6 years old. He was living with the family at Shanganagh, Rathmichael, Dublin. His father was described as a civil servant.
The 1911 census shows Alan as 16 years old. He was living with the family at Earlsfort Terrace, Fitzwilliam, Dublin. His father is a civil servant.
Alan Porter joined the Army in 1914.
Captain Porter served in Gallipoli, Serbia, Salonika, Palestine and France.
2nd Lieutenant (temp. Captain) Alan Grey Porter was awarded the Military Cross in December 1916 ‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. He held on throughout the day to a very exposed trench swept by fire. He set a splendid example throughout.’
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 7th December 1916: Tyrone Officer’s Gallantry – Captain A G Proctor Wins Military Cross
Captain Alan Grey Porter, Royal Irish Fusiliers, awarded the Military Cross, is the elder son of Mr Thomas Porter, J.P., Clogher Park, Co Tyrone, and grandson of the late Mr John William Ellison-Macartney, D.L., of Mountjoy Grange, sometime M.P. for County Tyrone. He is a nephew of the right Honourable Sir William Grey Ellison-McCartney, K.C.M.G., Governor of Tasmania, and formerly M.P. for South Antrim. Captain Porter is 22 years of age. His company had been shelled ceaselessly for five and a half hours, during which time they were obliged to dig trenches under most difficult circumstances, the ground being very hard. An officer states that the men on the occasion behaved magnificently, and later took part with their sister battalion in the capture of a village from the Bulgarians.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 22nd December 1916: The Military Cross
Captain Alan Grey Porter, Royal Irish Fusiliers, elder son of Mr Thomas Stewart Porter, J.P., Clogher Park, Co Tyrone. For conspicuous gallantry in action. He held on throughout the day to a very exposed trench swept by fire. He set a splendid example throughout.
Lieutenant (acting Captain) Alan Grey Porter, M.C., was serving with the 1st Battalion, attached to 6th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers when he died of wounds on 29th October 1918, aged 24.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 1st November 1918:
Captain Alan Grey Porter, M.C., Royal Irish Fusiliers, who died on 30th October, of wounds received in action, was the eldest son of Mr Thomas Porter, J.P., Clogher Park, County Tyrone. He obtained his commission in 1914, and took part in the operations on the Gallipoli Peninsula, in the Balkans, Palestine and France.
From the Tyrone Courier and Dungannon News dated Thursday 7 November 1918:
Captain Alan Grey Porter, M.C., Royal Irish Fusiliers, who died of wounds on 30th October, was the eldest son of Mr Thomas Porter, J.P., Clogher Park, Co Tyrone, late of the Royal Navy, and grandson of the late Mr John William Ellison Macartney, D.L., of Mountjoy Grange, County Tyrone. He was born in 1894, joined the Army in 1914, and had served in Gallipoli, Serbia, Salonika, Palestine and France.
In 1850, the bishopric of Clogher was merged with the archbishopric of Armagh (which it remained until 1886), and Bishop Porter seized the opportunity to buy the now abandoned palace and demesne, and re-named it Clogher Park. In the early 20th century it was still locally known as 'The Parliss'. The Porters and Ellison-Macartney's owned it for some 100 years after.
Captain Alan Grey Porter M.C. is buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France. His inscription reads: BORN SEPT. 20TH 1894 UNDERNEATH ARE THE EVERLASTING ARMS DEUT 33.27
Captain Alan Grey Porter M.C. is commemorated locally on Clogher War Memorial and on the WWI tablet in St Macartan's Cathedral in Clogher
The CWGC record Captain Alan Grey Porter M.C. as the son of Thomas and Mary Porter of Clogher Park, County Tyrone
