Coleman, J (John)
Coleman, J (John)
Private John Coleman enlisted in Dublin and died in Belfast. He went to France on the 29th of August 1914 with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
John’s battalion had arrived on the 25th of the same month and afterwards spent some time moving positions prior to him landing in France and joining them. They saw no real action or heavy casualties until the 1st of September when they marched from Verberie[1] and arrived at Baron.[2] Their job was to act as rear guard and whilst in positions facing northwest the Germans attacked, but where soon repelled with withering machine gun fire.[3]
The battalion was soon on the move again. On the 7th at Villiers[4] while on the march they met a German patrol who attacked them. They were soon beaten off. The next morning found them back on the move. The month continued, and the men experienced more skirmishes, more moving and even more casualties.[5]
October began quietly enough for the Inniskillings until they arrived at Meteren[6] on the 13th when they came under attack.[7] They then moved onto Le Gheers[8] five days later and once again sustained heavy casualties but held their positions.[9] On the 21st while still in the same place they were attacked again but this time were driven back a few hundred yards.
The battalion withdrew during the next day to billets at Ploegsteert[10] for a night and then onto trenches at Armentieres.[11] Once again, the Germans attacked, lines were held though this time.[12] By the end of the month the battalion had moved to Messines[13] as casualties continued to grow slowly.
November began in Messines with the battalion holding forward trenches. Their trenches were not linked, and they took heavy casualties. They then, ran out of ammunition. So, under the cover of darkness they withdrew.[14] The month continued in this vein, with troop numbers slowly depleting. Later, though they moved to Le Bizet[15] and ended the year in reserve to re-man and re-equip.
Up until May 1915 the 2nd Battalion received reasonably light casualties. They then got billeted in Richebourge[16] and went to the line and positioned in breastworks.[17]
On the evening of the 15th, they attacked from the Breastworks and although they had some gains and captured trenches, most were given up by the evening of the 16th. Casualties of this assault were high. This event was called the Defence of Festubert.[18] All land gained was consolidated by the 26th of the same month.
The rest of the year was remarkably quiet for the battalion as they were held mostly in reserve to reman and regroup.
By November John Coleman had been transferred to the 3rd Battalion either due to wounds, illness, or injury and probably to a hospital. His luck had run out and he passed away for reasons unknown on the 9th of November 1915.
John was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War and Victory Medals.
Date of Death: 09/11/1915
Service: Private, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 3rd and 2nd Battalions.
Service Number: 6940
Burial Location: Londonderry (or Derry), City Cemetery, GA. Mil. 22.
[1] Verberie is an area north of Paris.
[2] Baron is an area north of Paris.
[3] Casualties at Baron: 2 dead, 25 wounded, 15 missing.
[4] Villiers, this is possibly Ormoy-Villiers, just east of Baron.
[5] Casualties at Villiers: 2 dead, 20 wounded, 6 missing.
[6] Meteren is a town in northern France, on the Belgium border.
[7] Casualties at Meteren: 14 casualties.
[8] Le Gheers is a small hamlet in southern Belgium, it is 10 miles east of Meteren.
[9] Casualties at Le Gheers: 42 lost their lives and 32 more received wounds and 41 missing.
[10] Ploegsteert is a small village in southern Belgium.
[11] Armentieres is an area in Northern France, about 4 miles south of Le Gheers.
[12] Casualties at Armentieres: 11 men died and 33 are wounded.
[13] Messines is a village in southern Belgium.
[14] Casualties at Messines: 5 dead, 23 wounded and 16 missing.
[15] Le Bizet is in southern Belgium, near the French border, it is about 4 miles south of Messines.
[16] Richebourge is in northern France and is about 12 miles south of Le Bizet.
[17] Breastworks: A breastwork is a temporary fortification, often an earthwork thrown up to breast height.
[18] Defence of Festubert: Casualties: 39 killed, 371 wounded and 239 missing.
