207554 Gnr. John McGrogan British Army 124 Battery Royal Field Artillery from:Belfast (d.26th Aug 1914) My Gt Uncle, John McGrogan was born in Belfast in 1896 and as a youth was wayward and spent some time in the notorious Artane Boys Home outside Dublin. When he left the boys home at 16 he joined the Army underage rather than return home to Belfast. He first enlisted in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in 1912 and later joined the Royal Field Artillery as a Gunner in 1913. When war was declared in Aug 1914 he left Dundalk with 124 Bty and took part in the Battle of Mons and the retreat that followed. As part of the rearguard that followed the retreat his unit took part in the Battle of LeCateau on the 26th of Aug,. During the battle his battery was facing the opposite way to the advancing enemy and for some time they had taken shelter in front of their gun shield from machine gun fire, eventually they managed to turn the guns and fire over the heads of 122 Battery that was directly in front of them. This action went on for some time until two guns were put out of action by direct hits and their ammunition wagon was blown up. They were too far in front to receive a signal to retire, they could not save the guns but they sabotaged them by breaking the breach and sights. Gunner John McGrogan was killed during this action.
At Christmas 1914 his mother had written to the Ministry asking for word of her son as she had not heard from him since he left, She was to hear the bad news from his friend who had been wounded and was back in Belfast on New Years Eve.
|