Lives of the First World War

known March 1919

There is some confusion in the records regarding Catherine's age , when her grandmother applied for a pension in 1919 she said Catherine was 12, but the 1921 census shows her born in August 1905. Family Search has sufficient details to piece together the additional details of Catherine O'Leary's story as found in the soldier records. James Joseph, her father had married Theresa Hann on June 16, 1903 and probably in 1905 ( and no later than 1907) Catherine was born . Theresa died of pleurisy at their home on Scott Street on May 17 1907. At the time of the 1921 census, Catherine is still living with her grandmother on Scott Street, her DOB is given as Aug 16 1905. By the time the separation allowance was granted in 1919 Catherine would have been old enough to understand her father's service to his country. He suffered frost bite during the Gallipoli campaign in October 1915 , with a long period of recovery ending in England in early 1916. He rejoined his regiment only to fall at the Somme on July 1, 1916.

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