Sacriston St Bede Churchyard
Presentation Gift from his fellow Mining Workers
Medal Index Card
HMHS St Andrew Hospital Transport
Anson Shoulder Titles
53062 Private
J. Conroy
Devonshire Regiment
5th February 1918
Of Your Charity Pray for
The Soul of the Beloved Son
of Simon and Bridget Conroy
R.I.P.
John Conroy was born on the 23rd August 1888, at 32 Warwick Square, Birtley, Durham. John was baptised at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Birtley on the 31st August 1888, one of six children, of Simon Peter Conroy and Bridget Conroy (nee Mcabe), [born 29th September 1854, Crook, Durham died on the 4th June 1892 -unfortunately on her husband Simon's birthday and was buried at St Joseph Birtley on the 7th June 1892], Simon Peter Conroy his father was born on the 4th June 1851 at Newgate Street in Morpeth, [died in December 1922 and is buried at Ashburton Cemetery on the 9th December 1922], his parents were James and Elizabeth Conroy nee Fitzpatrick. He was a Coalminer.
[Bridget's parents were called Bernard (sometimes recorded as Barnard or Berney) and Margaret McCabe nee Hoey, both born in Ireland. Bernard was buried at Redhills RC Cemetery on the 24th September 1876 and his grave location reference is 342 F. Margaret died on the 4th June 1895 and was buried at St Joseph RC Church, at Birtley on the 7th June 1895, exactly 3 years to the days after her daughter Bridget died and was buried].
Simon Peter married a second time, Elizabeth [who is also buried at Ashburton Cemetery]. She had been married twice before marrying Simon Peter. Her first husband was James Smith and her second husband was John Creen also spelled Crean.
John was one of six children who lived beyond infancy. His brothers and sisters were called Margaret [born 5th September 1875, married name McCarroll, died 1908], Joseph [born 9th July 1874, died at the age of 8 years old on the 3rd December 1882 and was buried at St Joseph Birtley on the 5th December 1882]. Mary Catherine [born 29th July 1877, died 23rd July 1925, married name Armstromg], James Michael [born 14th September 1879, died 6th October 1942], Simon Joseph [born 29th September 1884, went on to marry an Esther Miller on the 12th September 1925 at St Joseph, Birtley. He died in 1948], and Bernard [born 10th February 1882, but died on the 24th June 1882], Elizabeth Ann born 22nd November 1886, died 13th September 1887], and Bernard [2nd] born 20th August 1890, died 3rd December 1932].
In 1881, Bridget and Simon were residing at Birtley with 5 children at Napier Terrace, Birtley.
In 1891, the family were residing at 32, Warwick Square, Birtley.
Johns mother Bridget died in 1892, and in 1901, John is now residing with his brother Bernard, with their older sister Margaret McCarroll and her husband and family in Front Street, Annitsford, Northumberland, at the back of Clark's Buildings.
When this sister died, John went to live in Sacriston with his other sister [now married], Mary Catherine Armstrong and her husband James Armstrong and their family. [Mary died at 5 Springwell Terrace on the 23rd July 1925 and was buried on the 25th July 1925 at St Bede, Sacriston. Her husband James, also died at the same address on the 15th July 1927 and was buried at the same place on the 18th July 1927].
By 1911, John was a Boarder still living with his sister at 15 Gregson Street, Sacriston, Durham [1911 Census] with his other elder brother Joseph Conroy then aged 26, they were both putters in the Coal Mines. At one point working at the Edmondsley mine.
In 1911, James Armstrong was a Sewage Works attendant, married in 1900, to John's sister Mary Catherine, and they had 6 children, but one had died, three boys and two girls Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, Bernard and James. There was also a servant named as Ester Miller.
John enlisted into the Durham Light Infantry on the 8th September 1914, but was transferred to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Royal Naval Division on the 10th September 1914 at Plymouth. He was allocated the service number of KP/828, and was enlisted into 'D' Company. When he enlisted, he had put his date of birth incorrectly as 22nd August 1889, his address at this time was stated as 5 Springwell Terrace Sacriston, Durham, which was his sister's address, [Mary Armstrong and her family]. This meant that his sister had moved from 19 Gregson Street to Springwell Terrace after 1911. Height 5 feet 3 inches, his complexion is fresh, with dark hair and brown eyes. He also had a wound left fore finger nail crushed. His next of kin, his father, was residing at this time at 25 Cheviot View, Gosforth.
John enlisted as an Ordinary Seaman and after training at Crystal Palace Depot, became an Able Seaman on the 30th July 1917. He joined the Anson Battalion on the 3rd November 1914.
16th January 1915, he is on the Nominal Roll of the Anson Battalion. On the 26th March 1915, he was based at Crystal Palace , now the R.N.D Depot, he was retained at Crystal Palace on the staff, helping the new recruits to train. 27th April 1915, he joins the Benbow Battalion. On the 28th April 1914, his character was described as V[ery] G[ood], Ability Sat[isfactory].
27th April 1915, John is Drafted to Blandford as a Marker from the Depot Duty Company. 21st May 1915, John is drafted to Blandford Camp. 31st July, Staff Details, Blandford. On the 24th November 1915, his Service Certificate was sent to Blandford, O.C., Training Staff at Blandford. On the 11th April 1916, he is transferred from Camp Staff details to 1st Reserve Battalion.
13th April 1916, 1st Reserve Battalion. 11th May John is now transferred from the 1st Reserve Battalion to the 2nd Reserve Battalion at Blandford. 31st July 1916, he is transferred to 'A' Reserve Battalion. 11th December 1916, his character was described as G[ood], Ability Sat[isfactory]. These were all signed off by Lieutenant-Colonel Ramsden, who was in command of the technical training of officers, N.C.O.s and specialists, the training of recruits.
In his stay at Blandford he was deducted 6 days pay for being absent.
On the 11th December 1916, his Camp staff secondment had ended.
On the 7th February 1917, he was discharged from the 63rd (RN) Division reserves and re-enlisted in the Labour Companies of the Devonshire Regiment.
On the 9th February 1917, he re-enlisted with the Infantry Labour Corps (Devonshire Regiment), at Crownhill. His service number was now 53042, with the rank of private.
14th May 1917, John was then posted to the 9th Labour Corp Battalion, [Under ACI-611 1917, Formation of a Labour Corps], then transferred to the 167th Labour Company. His number was 99710. [167th Company, 2nd Infantry Labour Company, Devonshire Regiment, the following regimental numbers indicate which Company he was in 99601 - 100200].
John was posted to France on the 27th February 1917, embarked at Folkestone and disembarked at Boulogne on the same day.
On the 22nd Match 1917, he was admitted to the 5th Australian Dressing Station, then the 8th Australian Field ambulance for Dental work.
On the 9th April, John reported sick to the Company Commander, and re-joined his unit on the 19th April 1917. John returned to the UK on the "St. Andrew" Hospital Ship [The MV St. Andrew was built in 1906 by John Brown & Co. Shipyard, Glasgow. She entered the Fishguard - Rosslare service in 1908. Her three almost identical sister ships St. David, St. Patrick and St. George were already sailing this route and represented "the last word in luxury" at the time. In 1914 she was taken over by the Ministry of Defence and commissioned as a Military Hospital (one of five in the first month of the war). The St. Patrick and St. David were also converted for use as hospital ships (the St. George having been sold the previous year to the Canadian Pacific Railway Co). Decommissioned in 1919, she was later renamed the MV Fishguard and withdrawn from service in 1933], on the 18th November 1917 and on arrival John is admitted to hospital at the County of Middlesex War Hospital at Napsbury, St Albans, Hertfordshire. His medical record states Coffee grounds, (This is a type of vomiting, which resembles coffee grounds and denotes the presence of cancer), Exploratory incision; confirmed inoperable growth. Gastro-], that his medical condition was inoperable and they confirmed this with a small incision to confirm their findings.
He died of Carcinoma of Pylorus at 5.10pm on the 5th February 1918.
John Conroy was buried at St Bede, Sacriston on the 9th February 1918.
On the 2nd January 1920, John's father Simon, filled in a Next of Kin Army Form, stating the names and address of all living relatives:- Elizabeth Conroy, Joseph Conroy, were residing at 25 Cheviot View, Gosforth. James Conroy was residing at 1 May Street Birtley, Bernard Conroy was living at Front Street, Annitsford. Mary Armstrong 5 Springwell Terrace, Sacriston. Also with 4 nephews and nieces.
Half blood relatives were Ralph Smith age 21, residing at 25 Cheviot View, Gosforth. Joseph Smith age 23, 71 Wylam Street, Gateshead and William Crean age 16, and Emma Crean age 14, both residing at 25 Cheviot View, Gosforth.
Simon Conroy received his son's Medal and plaque (Death Penny) on the 22nd March 1922.
Angela Conroy has submitted the following:
I do know a bit about John Conroy which I will share with you as he was my Great Uncle.
"I have inherited a plaque, from my Father (Bernard Conroy) commemorating John. I think the plaque had originally been handed down to him by his Father who was also called (my Grandad) Bernard Conroy. My Grandad Bernard was the younger brother of John. The lovely plaque which is wooden overlaid with a brass plate has these words inscribed" :
In Commemoration of Pte John Conroy 99710 Labour Batt. Edmondsley Who Made the Supreme Sacrifice for Human Liberty In the Great War 1914 – 1919. Greater Love Hath No Man Than This That He Lay Down His Life For His Brother
[This commemoration plaque was to a common design popular with the mining industry in the North East. Other surviving examples have been seen, with the middle section able to be opened, which could contain Tobacco, a Watch Money or other items, which the fellow miners would have contributed as a token of their remembrance, affection or memory of the recipient].
Unfortunately, John's mother Bridget died 1892 when he was very young. Subsequent, census records show him and his brother (my Grandad) Bernard living with their older sister Margaret McCarroll and her husband and family in Annitsford and then when this sister died he went to live in Sacriston with his sister Mary Catherine Armstrong and her husband and family. John's last home before going to war was 5 Springwell Terrace, Sacriston. Before the war John was a miner, as was his father and brothers.
He was gassed and developed sarcoma of the stomach which led to his death. His next of Kin was his Father Simon who was residing at 409 Salter's Road in Gosforth who was living there with his second wife Elizabeth (nee Crean).
Acknowledgements: Angela Conroy.
John Conroy is remembered at Sacriston on S113.04, S113.07 and S113.14
