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| Regiment/Service: |
6th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (British Army)
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| Died: |
15/08/1915 (Killed in Action) |
| Age: |
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| Samuel Lee Tolerton was born about 1892 in County Tyrone. The 1901 census lists Lee as 9 years old, the youngest pupil at Newtown Boarding School, Waterford. Lee’s older brother, Robert Hall Tolerton, is also listed at the same school. The 1911 census Lists Lee as 19 years old, an undergraduate at Trinity College Dublin, Both he and his brother were living at house 203 in Brunswick Street, Trinity Ward, Dublin. Robert was also an undergraduate at Trinity College Dublin. On the 1st Feb 1915 Lee Tolerton was promoted to Lieutenant. 2nd Lieutenant Lee Tolerton was serving with the 6th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers when he died on Sunday 15th August 1915 at Gallipoli. |
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| Samuel Tolerton was the son of Samuel and Letitia Tollerton. Samuel Tollerton married Letitia McKeeman on 23rd April 1886 in Belfast (PRONI Ref. M/1886/B1/474/3/28)
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| Samuel Lee Tolerton was born on 19th January 1891, in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. It seems his father died in Dungannon two weeks before he was born on 4th October 1891, aged 34.
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| Family: Samuel Tolerton (died 4th October 1891), Letitia Tolerton, Robert Hill Tolerton (born 19th April 1887), Samuel Lee Tolerton (born 19th October 1891).
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| The 1901 census lists Lee as 9 years old, the youngest pupil at Newtown Boarding School, Waterford. Lee's older brother, Robert Hall Tolerton, is also listed at the same school.
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| Samuel Lee attended the High School at Harcourt Street, Dublin, between 1908 and 1909.
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| The 1911 census lists Lee as 19 years old, an undergraduate at Trinity College Dublin. He is listed on the Solicitors Memorial in Dublin, so it can be assumed he was studying law. Both he and his brother were living at house 203 in Brunswick Street, Trinity Ward, Dublin. Robert was also an undergraduate at Trinity College Dublin.
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| Lee Tolerton enlisted shortly after the outbreak of war (tbc).
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| On the 1st Feb 1915 Lee Tolerton was promoted to Lieutenant.
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| 2nd Lieutenant Lee Tolerton was serving with the 6th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers when he was killed in action on Sunday 15th August 1915 at Gallipoli in the attack along Kiretch Tepe Sirt.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 13th September 1915: Irish Fusilier Officer Killed
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| The death in action is reported from the Dardanelles of Lieutenant Lee Tolerton, 6th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers. the deceased was the younger son of the late Mrs Tolerton, who sometimes visited Belfast in her capacity as secretary of the Philanthropic Reform Association. He was one of the officers who joined the army after the outbreak of war, his commission as lieutenant being dated 1st February 1915.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 18th September 1915:
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| Lieutenant Lee Tolerton, 6th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers, who was killed in action at the Dardanelles on 15th August, is the younger son of the late Mr Samuel Tolerton, who was an efficient teacher at Stangmore National School, Dungannon. His mother was the late Mrs Tolerton, who well-known throughout Ireland as secretary to the Philanthropic Reform Association, Dublin, in working of which she was closely connected with Lady Aberdeen and the Earl of Meath. The deceased officer was a nephew of Mr Robert Hill Tolerton, Coolecush, Dungannon, and of Mrs Cunningham, Park Road, Dungannon – indeed it was in that lady’s house that he was born shortly after the lamented death of his father. He was just under 21 years of age and was one of the officers who joined the army after the outbreak of war, his commission as lieutenant being dated 1st February 1915.
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| From the Limerick Chronicle dated September, 1915:
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| Lieutenant Lee Tolerton, 6th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers, who was previously reported wounded, is now reported killed at the Dardanelles. Lieutenant Tolerton was appointed to the rank of Lieutenant on February 1st, 1915. He was the younger son of the late Mrs Tolerton, Secretary to the Philanthropic Reform Association, Dublin.
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| 2nd Lieutenant Lee Tolerton has no known grave and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial at Gallipoli in Turkey.
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| Lieutenant Samuel Lee Tolerton is commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial.
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| Lieutenant Samuel Lee Tolerton is listed on Trinity Collage War Memorial and on the Solicitor’s Memorial in Dublin Four Courts.
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| Robert H Tolerton was Minister of Transport and undersecretary of State and applied for the deceased officer's medals on 28th February 1922. His brother also saw active service with the London Regiment and eventually became Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Robert Tolerton CB CBE DSO MC
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| Capt. Robert Hill Tolerton was also recommended for a Medal. The London Gazette, dated 14 August 1917 (Issue number: 30234 Page number: 8385) 'for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Although wounded, he showed great courage in leading his battalion in an attack. After the final objective had been reached he was foremost in arranging all details of consolidation and defence, setting a splendid example of energy and agility to all ranks.
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| Sir Robert enjoyed a distinguished career, holding many important positions in various government ministries in the UK government. He was knighted in 1947.
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| Samuel's uncle, Richard Allen, was a famed Dublin philanthropist, abolitionist and orthodox Quaker, who raised £20,000 to help the Irish famine by writing letters to America. His business was in textiles but his interests lay in reform, temperance and the abolition of slavery. In 1837, Allen was one of three founding members and secretary of the Hibernian Antislavery Association. Samuel's mother was Secretary of the Philanthropic Reform Association.
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| TYPE - B:Birth M:Marriage D:Death | GRONI | SIBLING: brother or sister | NOTES: spelling inconsistencies, etc. |
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| Date |
Type |
Surname |
First name |
Relationship |
GRONI Ref |
Notes |
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| 23/04/1886 |
M |
McKeenan |
Letitia |
Parent |
M/1886/B1/474/3/28b |
McKeeman |
| 23/04/1886 |
M |
Tolerton |
Samuel |
Parent |
M/1886/B1/474/3/28a |
Tollerton |
| 19/04/1887 |
B |
Tolerton |
Robert |
Sibling |
U/1887/112/1012/16/275 |
Tollerton, McKeeman |
| 04/10/1891 |
D |
Tolerton |
Samuel |
Parent |
D/1891/112/1012/16/429 |
died age 34 |
| 19/10/1891 |
B |
Tolerton |
Samuel |
Casualty |
U/1891/112/1012/18/430 |
Tollerton, McKeenan |
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