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Pte. John Casey
British Army 6th Battalion Connaught Rangers
from:Glensaul, Co Mayo
(d.21st March 1918)
John Casey died, killed in action, on 21st of March 1918 on the first day of the German Spring Offensive. He had enlisted in Glasgow and served also with the 3rd Battalion of the Connaught Rangers.
For 100 years he was lost to his family. His sisters had emigrated to America before he enlisted so they never knew what had become of him. His sister’s last memory of him was as a young boy playing the tin whistle at the door of their home in Glensaul. Through research, and thanks to the internet, we were able to trace John. On 21st of March 2019 his grand niece and grand nephew, along with a great grand nephew, visited his grave in Ste Emilie Valley Cemetery, France on the 100th anniversary of his death. They were the first members of his family to stand at his grave. He had been buried initially on the battlefield but his grave was discovered during the battlefield clearances, he was identified by his tag and re-interred in Ste Emilie Valley Cemetery, just a short distance from where he fell.
Finding John has been an amazing and very exciting journey. We would encourage anyone who has even scant information about a relative to engage in a similar quest.
