Photo: Geordie at War Project

Roderick Birney

Brenda McMahon has submitted the following:-

James and Mary Birney with their family had come over from Ireland c1867. Son Dominic was born in 1868 and Roderick in 1870 at Gateshead. There were 8 brothers and sisters. By 1881 James had died and after that they moved to Westoe in 1891 and Jarrow in 1901.

Roderick had married Mary Jane Donnelly in 1898 and had 6 children. Unfortunately his son Peter died at the young age of one in 1902.

In 1911 the family were living at 3 Tweedy Street Bebside, Cowpen. Roderick originally worked as a chemical labourer but he is now a stoneman in the coal mine.

Roderick enlisted at Newcastle, served in France and was wounded and transferred back to England. He died of wounds on 8 July 1918 at Eton Buckinghamshire and is buried in Gateshead East Cemetery.

Mary Jane then of 67 Mansfield Street Gateshead added “On whose soul Sweet Jesus have mercy” to Roderick’s headstone.

There is some query about Roderick’s regiment. His headstone in Gateshead East Cemetery shows his regiment as Tyneside Scottish but both CWGC and ‘Soldiers who died in the Great War’ state he was with Tyneside Irish.

Roderick Birney is remembered at Felling F32.06 in Gateshead's Roll of Honour G39.004 and at Venerable Bede Church, Sunderland Road Gateshead G39.025

The CWGC entry for Private Birney