Looking for any family connections to Michael Mealia born about 1825 in Meath (Obtained this from his marriage record. He married in Fremantle, West Australia to a girl from Kilkenny). He joined the British army at about 16 yrs of age and was in the 99th Regiment of Foot, Regimental Number 1228. He was sent to New South Wales (Aust) in the 1st Muster. He was set to work there for a time mining coal and later became a guard for the convicts. Sent to Norfolk Island then to Van Diemans Land (Tasmania). We have traced his movements on on film reels in the Battye Library in Perth. The last record found was in 1856 when back in Victoria. He must have been injured or become ill somewhere. The next he is on a ship to Western Australia as a pensioner guard arriving here from England in 1862 being pensioned off in Kilkenny. So far with a lot of searching we cant find his birth place etc. Love to hear from anyone who might have had an old uncle of grandfather with that name in Meath
Thankyou in anticipation. Margaret Richardson, Western Australia