| Francis Carbery was the youngest son of Patrick and Sarah Carbery. Patrick Carbery and Sarah Rafferty were married on 27th February 1870 n the district of Dungannon.
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| It seems there was another Carbery/Rafferty family in the Dungannon area at the time, so extracting the exact family from the GRONI births database is not possible at this time.
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| Francis Carbery was born on 7th April 1886. He was the youngest of five known children, all born in Dungannon.
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| Known family: Patrick Carbery, Sarah Carbery, Sarah Anne Carbery (born 2nd October 1876), Brigid Carbery (born 25th March 1879), James Carbery (born 14th August 1881), Mary Jane Carbery (born 22nd November 1883 or 6th April 1884), Francis Carbery (born 7th April 1886).
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| It seems Patrick Carberry died on 5th June 1889 in Dungannon, aged 45. Francis would have been three years old.
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| The 1901 census lists Francis as age 14, living with the family at house 36 in Anne Street, Dungannon. His is not listed as having an occupation. His mother was a widow.
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| The 1911 census lists Francis as age 25, living with the family at house 39 in Anne Street, Dungannon. Again, Francis not listed as having an occupation.
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| Francis Carberry was working in England when he enlisted in June 1915.
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| Farrier Francis Carbery was serving with the 32nd Division, Ammunition Column, of the Royal Field Artillery
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| Farrier Carbery was hit on 31st March 1917 by a piece of shell which pierced his abdomen. He was taken him to a field dressing station, where the wound was dressed, and from thence he was taken away to a casualty clearing station.
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| Shoeing Smith Francis Carbery died from wounds received in action on 1st April 1917.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 10th April 1917:
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| Shoeing-Smith Frank Carberry, Royal Field Artillery, died from shell wound, was a brother of Mr James Carberry, a member of Dungannon Urban Council.
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated 12 April 1917: Shoeing-Smith F Carbery
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| Mrs James Carbery, Urban District Council (U.D.C), Dungannon, has received official intimation that his brother Shoeing Smith Frank Carbery, Royal Field Artillery, had died from wounds received in action. The deceased had been working in England and volunteered in June 1915.
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated 12 April 1917:
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| CARBERY – Died of wounds received in action in France on 3rd April 1917, Shoeing-Smith Francis Carbery, R.F.A, aged 30 years. R.I.P.
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To have held your head dear brother,
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While your life blood ebbed away,
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Or hears would not have felt so much,
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The tears we shed today.
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May the heavenly wind blow softly
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Over that sweet and hallowed spot,
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Though the sea divides your grave from us,
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You will never be forgot”
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| Inserted by his sorrowing mother, sisters and brothers, Ann Street, Dungannon in the Tyrone Courier dated 12 April 1917
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated 19 April 1917:
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| A pathetic interest attaches to the following letter regarding Shoeing-Smith Frank Carbery, Dungannon, (whose death was reported last week) which letter had been received by his mother after he had been wounded, from the Rev. Fr. J Bernard Marshall, Chaplain to the Forces, attached to the 12th Northumberland Fusiliers :-
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| 'Probably before this reaches you, you will have heard that your son has been wounded. Now let me tell you straightforwardly what the matter is. He was hit yesterday, 31st March, by a piece of shell which pierced his abdomen. This is always a dangerous wound, and I think it is much kinder to tell a mother the real truth. But your son was very fortunate for a doctor was found at once, who rendered first aid; then an ambulance was at hand to take him to a field dressing station, where the wound was properly dressed, and from thence he was taken away to a casualty clearing station , where if necessary, an operation would be immediately performed. Your son was fortunate in another and more important matter. I am a Catholic priest and I chanced to be riding past the place when the unlucky shell hit him. I was immediately at his side, and as soon as he knew I was a priest, he at once made his confession, and I absolved and anointed him and helped him as well as I could. I saw him afterwards at the dressing station, and he was going on well. I have very great hopes that by God's will he will get better, but of course he has been taken to the base, and I shall see him no more. He is sure to see another priest there. I would be very grateful if you could write and tell me how he got on after leaving me. I have not forgotten him in my prayers and at mass this morning. May Almighty God bless and comfort you in your trouble. Yours sincerely in Christ, J Bernard Marshall, C.F.'
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated 21st June 1917: (Dungannon Council)
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| Mr Skeffington referred to the death in a flying accident of Second Lieutenant W J M Andrews, R.F.C., Dungannon, and proposed a resolution of sympathy with the relatives. He had died when serving in one of the most dangerous and exacting branches of the service, and the relatives had their keen sympathy at the funeral of this most gallant young man. The resolution was unanimously passed. The chairman referred to the deaths of in action of Private Milligan, a son of one of their employees, and Shoeing Smith F Carberry, a brother of one of their members, who had died upholding the honour of Dungannon abroad, and the clerk was directed to convey the Council’s sympathy to the relatives.
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| Farrier Carbery is buried in Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty.
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| Shoeing Smith Francis Carbery is commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial.
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| The CWGC record Francis Carbery as the youngest son of Patrick and Sarah Carbery of Dungannon, County Tyrone.
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