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Royal Ulster Rifles

Royal Ulster Rifles

Posted: 17 Jun 2015 7:33AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Farrell
I'm searching for information on Patrick Farrell who died during WWII. He was born in 1924 in Ireland. The only soldier I can find who vaguely fits our family history, served with the Royal Ulster Rifles and was killed during Operation Varsity. I have not been able to find next of kin for this man to confirm whether or not he is related. His parents should be Hugh Farrell and Sarah Bonar Farrell. Does anyone have access to WWII next of kin records in UK? Thank you in advance.
Florence

Re: Royal Ulster Rifles

Posted: 18 Jun 2015 9:28AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 18 Jun 2015 9:38AM GMT
Surnames: Farrell
https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-re...

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2659006/FARRELL,%...

He served in C Company of the 1st (Airborne) Battalion of the Royal Ulster Rifles.

Died in March 1945 aged 21, so born circa 1924.

There were other people called Farrell with a first forename of Patrick who were born in England or Wales in that time frame but all but one of them has corresponding England or Wales civilian death registrations.

The exception was Patrick F. Farrell whose birth was registered in 1924 in London, and military records don't always include full forenames or forename initials, but there are several outbound passenger records for Patrick Farrell for an age range which could be him.

According to this,...UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14508

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2370536

The man listed on the CWGC record in the Royal Ulster Rifles was born in Eire ( Republic of Ireland ) and was resident in Belfast, ( Northern Ireland,...a part of Britain )...which might mean either that he lived in Belfast before he enlisted, or that he lived in Eire and went to Belfast to enlist, I suspect that it was probably the latter.

Re: Royal Ulster Rifles

Posted: 18 Jun 2015 10:36AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Farrell
Thank you for your quick assistance.Yes, this is the soldier (14400077) I'm trying to trace. I agree that he probably went to Belfast to register. If he's the relative I seek, he was probably raised in Donegal. I need to find his next of kin to confirm his connection. Do I understand from what you've sent, that there is no online access to that info other than literally filling in many of forms?

Re: Royal Ulster Rifles

Posted: 18 Jun 2015 5:26PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 18 Jun 2015 5:30PM GMT
Surnames: Farrell
Yep, the only way that I can think of to find biographical and kinship information on the soldier is to get his service record from the UK Ministry of Defence, which costs £30 and yes it requires some downloadable forms to be filled in.

Soldiers had the opportunity to make a will via the military, those wills are available, but he didn't make one.

His next of kin would have been given the opportunity, if their address was known, to submit some brief biographical family details for inclusion on his CWGC record, and if they had done so that information would be listed on his CWGC entry, but they didn't do that, which of course in some cases where an Irish casualty was involved, might be because of the political views of the next of kin in regard to British military service.

However, both of those omissions suggest that his parents might have been deceased by the time of his death.

In WW2 campaign medals for surviving former servicepersons had to be applied for by the serviceperson, medals for deceased servicepersons would have been issued automatically to their next of kin, if their address was known, but if they weren't issued they can be applied for for free from the Army Medals Office by the person's current nearest next of kin.
http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/how-the-nation-r...

https://www.gov.uk/medals-campaigns-descriptions-and-eligibi...

It's a long shot of course, and I don't know if they would release such information to someone who wasn't a proven relative of a casualty, but possibly the Army medals office might tell you if his medals were issued and to whom they were issued.
http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/how-the-nation-r...

Not hugely likely I would imagine, but you never know, and it costs nothing to ask.

His death certificate can also be obtained for £10 from the UK General Register Office, but it will probably only list his age and not his exact date of birth, but again, you never know for sure.
http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/

GRO War Death Army Other Ranks (1939 to 1948)...Patrick Farrell...death year 1945...service number 14400077...rank Rifleman...Regiment Royal Ulster Rifles...Volume 2...Page 48

Where his pre enlistment residence was is of course relevant, but so is his exact date and place of birth, and if you haven't already got his birth certificate, you should get a copy.
https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/General-Register-Office.aspx

There are a handful of possible birth registrations for him, none seem to be obviously in Donegal, but I haven't looked too closely, but his parent's details should be enough for the Irish GRO to identify the correct birth record.

Is there definite family knowledge that he died whilst serving in the Army in WW2. ?

Re: Royal Ulster Rifles

Posted: 18 Jun 2015 8:05PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Farrell
The family story is that, in 1923, Hugh Farrell married Sarah Bonar in Stranorlar, Donegal. I have a copy of the marriage certificate. Hugh (my uncle) left within three months to immigrate to Australia. Sarah did not join him until 1926. Together they had six children in Australia. However, there has always been a rumor that Sarah left behind their first child, a son (raised by the Bonars), and that later he was shot down over Germany. The only KIA soldier Farrell from Ireland I can find born in 1924 whose parent are not listed is Patrick 14400077. Obviously, some family member was keeping track of said son or the parents in Australia wouldn't have known he was killed. Some relatives believe the child was not Hugh's (which is why he was left in Eire) but Hugh married Sarah so she would not be scorned. Others believe there never was a child. It would certainly have been easier to give up a newborn than a 3 yr old who could probably still travel free on a ship. Yet others believe the story is true but the son's name has been lost. If we can find kin listed for 14400077, it might solve the problem. Thanks for your continued help.
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