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Pte. John Quinn
British Army 1st Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
John Quinn was 19 years old when he Joined the Army at Omagh on the 22nd of July 1915 and commenced his military training at Londonderry on 24th of July 1915 John completed his training and was posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 2nd of January 1916 and landed in France on the 22nd of March 1916. John's regiment took part in the Battle of the Somme which began on the 1st of July 1916 when 19,240 men were killed and 38,230 wounded on that first day. one of those wounded was John Quinn who was shot in the right thigh with such ferocity that his thigh bone was fractured Because of the horrendous number of casualties. 11 days had passed before John reached a military field hospital. On 17 July 1916 he was evacuated to a hospital in Glasgow He remained in hospital under medical supervision until 13 October 1916 when he was discharged from hospital and sent on recuperation leave.
John returned to duty on 30 October 1916 at Londonderry He was transferred to the Labour Battalion. Royal Irish Regiment on 9 February 1917 and he went back to France on 12 February 1917 John was then transferred to his former regiment, the lst Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, on 15 September 1917 on the frontline Johns record shows that he was given a period of leave to the UK from 22 January 1918 until 11 February 1918 when he returned to his regiment on the front line. On 22 March 1918. Private John Quinn was reported missing in action. On the 3rd of October 1918 it was confirmed that he had been captured by the enemy and was a Prisoner of War, he was taken to a POW camp in Germany. John was working in a coal mine as a POW when he had an accident which fractured his already damaged thigh bone. Poor medical care by his captives resulted in the fracture repair shortening his leg.
On 22nd of November 1918 the war was at an end and John was repatriated to the POW Reception Camp and Discharge Centre at Ripon in Yorkshire. A medical Board declared that John was no longer medically fit for military service because of his war wounds and he was discharged on 4 December 1918 John Quinn served for 3 years and 136 days and was awarded the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the Sliver War Badge. A clean regimental conduct sheet is evidence of his exemplary character and the manner in which he conducted himself throughout a very difficult period of military service
