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Sailor's grave found after 90
years
13.01.11
by Linda McGrory
THE grave of an Irish teenage sailor believed lost
at sea during the First World War has been
discovered in Buncrana more than 90 years on.
Cousins Dominic McKevitt and Donna Weiniger made the
emotional discovery while researching their family
history and the story of their uncle John Boyle from
Dundalk, Co Louth, who perished during World War I
on the SS Haverford, in Lough Swilly, Co Donegal.
The SS Haverford, a transatlantic White Star liner
had been seconded to the British Navy three years
earlier. It was torpedoed by a German U-boat in
Lough Swilly on June 27, 1917 with the loss of eight
men including 17-year old Boyle, who was a fireman
below decks. The ship managed to survive the attack
and made it back to Liverpool for repairs.
Mr McKevitt, a 55-year old writer from Dundalk, said
they now believe their maternal uncle was lost
without trace because, due to his tender age of 14,
he had used a false name to join the British Navy. |
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Dominic McKevitt pictured in Cockhill
cemetery at the grave of his uncle John Boyle who
died along with seven other seamen when the SS
Haverford was torpedoed in Lough Swilly in June
1917. |
"At that time money was
hard to come by and it was difficult to exist with
nine persons to clothe and nurture, so Uncle John
enlisted in the war effort and secured a job on the
SS Haverford as a fireman working below decks,"
explained Mr McKevitt.
"He used an alias ‘Ballantine’ and his age was
stated as 22 years at time of death. I reckon John
was only 14 years old when he joined White Star's
war effort and used the alias of an older person to
overcome his age difficulties in securing a job.”
He added: "From the wartime advertisements, anyone
who enlisted was assured of clothing, food and
shelter and their families were awarded a cash
allowance and this is what I can only assume was
taken up by my grandparents and Uncle John."
Just over a year ago, Ms Weiniger, a nurse from
Belfast, discovered there was a grave at Cockhill
cemetery, Buncrana, Co Donegal, the final resting
place of some of the men who perished on the SS
Haverford. They made contact with the local
grave-keeper who told them their uncle's name was
among those listed on the headstone of the single
burial plot. A third cousin subsequently joined them
on their emotional journey to Co Donegal to visit
their uncle's grave for the first time.
Mr McKevitt said his mother, Molly, and her six
sisters went to their graves never knowing their
only brother was buried in Co Donegal.
"We were privileged to be the very first members of
our family to visit John's grave," added Mr McKevitt,
who thanked everyone in Buncrana who facilitated
their visit. "It was a surreal and tearful moment.
We just dropped to our knees and thought about our
mothers who died not knowing there was an actual
grave they could have visited."
Meanwhile, the family have been in contact with Don
McNeill who organises an annual wreath-laying
ceremony for servicemen and women who died during
the wars and who are buried in Buncrana. The cousins
are now looking forward to participating in the next
ceremony at the end of January. |
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