McGrillis, T (Thomas)

McGrillis, T (Thomas)

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Lance Corporal Thomas McGrillis was from 104 Fountain Hill, Waterside, Londonderry and was a member of the Glendermott section of the Ulster Volunteer Force[1]. He previously served with the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

Thomas’s war began when he originally landed in Boulogne,[2] France on the 6th of October 1915 at 1:30am along with the 10th Inniskilling Fusiliers. There were 1029 men, all ranks.

At 14.00 they went on a route march with their band from Boulogne, arriving at 10.00 the following day at Gare Central station[3] where they entrained and travelled to Coisy[4] and were billeted. At this point they started training and improving where they slept. Soon they were on the move again. Training continues, and they were eventually attached to other battalions at Hebuterne[5] to help them gain some experience in trench warfare.

Training continued, and the battalion marched from area to area. When the time came to celebrate the “Closing of the Gates of Londonderry (December 1668)”, the battalion still had no casualties or real front-line experience.

During March, they went to Forceville[6] and the trenches at Thiepval Woods[7] where they relieved the 9th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and started receiving their first casualties. This continued into April and up until May when they moved to Léalvillers[8] The battalion remained here until mid-June when they moved back to Forceville and the Thiepval Woods area.

On the evening of the 30th of June 1916, the battalion moved forward to take up their positions at Thiepval Woods. Whilst walking through Aveluy Woods[9] towards the trenches the 10th Inniskillings commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ross Smyth slipped and sprained his leg and was evacuated. A bad omen of things to come.

With the 9th and 11th Inniskilling Fusiliers on their right and 14th Royal Irish Rifles with them they waited in crowded trenches on the 1st of July for the bombardment of the German lines to finish. The men were all issued a portion of rum as they paused before putting their training into place and entering “No man’s land”, playing their part on the day of the “Great attack”.[10]

The battalions got mixed up as they advanced causing some confusement and even worse advancing too quickly, this caused heavy casualties from friendly fire. Within 100 yards of the enemy’s trench, they lay down awaiting the moment to attack. The company bugle calls soon followed announcing their orders to advance again.

All-in-all 764 men left the trenches, only 346 returned. The battalion eventually left the front line on the 2nd of July to regroup and rest, but only until August when they were redeployed at Ploegsteert Woods.[11]

Time passed by whilst the battalion continued to receive casualties and new recruits, raid German trenches, man trenches, bomb, be bombed and repeat. This continued until the end of October when they went to the village of Dranoutre,[12] to rest, bathe and be reissued uniform.

On the 17th of September 1916, Thomas McGrillis was evacuated from the front line by the 31st Ambulance Train. He was diagnosed to be suffering from Myalgia.[13] It is uncertain what happened next, but he did end up back in Ireland.

A few months later back in Ireland Thomas died in Enniskillen County Hospital after suffering from broncho pneumonia for seven days. His heart began to fail during his last two days. He had only been transferred to the 12th Battalion for a few days.

There is a bit of a mystery around this soldier as a newspaper report on the 27th of January 1917 stated that Lance Corporal Thomas McGrillis had been previously reported as wounded but was now listed as missing. By this time, he had already been laid to rest.

His name is spelt as McGrillis, McGrelis and McGrellis in various documents.

Thomas was buried during New Year’s Day with full military honours.

He was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War and Victory Medals.

Date of Death: 29/12/1916 (Aged 55)

Service: Lance Corporal, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 12th and 10th Battalions.

Service Number: 15841

Burial Location: Glendermott Church of Ireland Churchyard and New Cemetery, Old ground North-East of Church.


[1] A Protestant Militia, based in Ireland, formed in 1912.

[2] Boulogne or Boulogne-sur-Mer is a coastal town in northwest France.

[3] Gare Central station is around 16 miles south of Boulogne.

[4] Coisy is around 60 miles, southeast of Gare Central station.

[5] Hebuterne is an area in France around 20 miles northeast of Coisy.

[6] Forceville in an area in France in between Thiepval Woods and Léalvillers.

[7] Thiepval Woods is around 6 miles south of Hebuterne.

[8] Léalvillers is an area in France around 7 miles east of Thiepval.

[9] Woods just west of Thiepval Woods.

[10] Great attack, later called the battle of the Somme.

[11] Ploegsteert Woods is in southern Belgium about 60 miles north of Thiepval woods.

[12] Dranoutre is a small village in Belgium around 6 miles west of Ploegsteert Woods.

[13] Myalgia is pain in a muscle or group of muscles.

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