Private Robert Vennard - Royal Irish Fusilier

Private Robert Vennard Royal Irish Fusiliers

Battlefield Sleuth Series – October 2022 Research by Tim Bell and Gary Cunningham

Robert (Bobby) Vennard 1899-1975 Bobby Vennard was born in the Workhouse at Newtonards in Ireland on 2 June 1899. His mother, Marjorie (or Margery) Vennard (born 1874) was a resident of Newtonards and appears to have been unmarried. The plight of Irish children born into the workhouse was harsh and little is known about Bobby’s childhood. No record has been found for him in the 1901 Census.

For overseas service, Bobby was transferred to the 1st Battalion (Bn) Royal Irish Fusiliers (Fusils), allocated the number ‘29552’. Reviewing the number sequence in other service and pension records indicates this allocation in late March 1918. It is possible Bobby had transferred to the

Marjorie married Joseph McGrath at Banbridge, Co

Royal Irish Rifles Cap Badge © britishmilitaryabdges.co.uk

Irish Fusils in the UK and also reasonable to consider he was posted at an Infantry Brigade Depot after arrival in France.

Newtonards Workhouse © workhouses.org.uk

Down, on 2 March 1908. She had still been a resident of the workhouse. 1911 Census records show 68-year-old Joseph and Marjorie McGrath (36) living at Chef’s Row, Banbridge, with their children Margaret (born 1908) and Martha (born 1910). Marjorie’s daughter Jane Vennard (born 1897) was also resident. We can only conclude that Jane must have been another illegitimate child, who had left the workhouse regime. The Census indicates that Marjorie had no other children, sadly neglecting her son’s existence.

Bobby cannot be identified elsewhere on the 1911 Census.

The 1916 Military Service Act introduced conscription and Bobby was deemed to have enlisted on his 18th birthday, 2 June 1917. A pension card identifies initial service with the Royal Irish Rifles (Rifles), where Bobby was allocated the service number ‘20113’. A review of service numbers in a similar sequence indicates this number was allocated in August 1917, providing a reasonable estimate for the period when Bobby was mobilised for training with the Rifles. It is also possible Bobby had undertaken earlier training with a Training Reserve Battalion.

1st Bn was a Regular Army Bn of the Irish Fusils.

Having arrived in France in August 1914, the Bn had remained at the Western Front. As a consequence, the majority of the original Regular Soldiers would have been casualties by the time Bobby arrived, replaced by subsequent volunteers

Royal Irish Fusiliers Cap Badge © britishmilitarybadges.co.uk

or conscripts. There remained a level of prestige associated with Regular Army service.

In the period following Bobby’s assumed arrival, 1st Bn Irish Fusils was part of 108th Brigade of 36th (Ulster) Division. It took part in significant action on the Somme, Messines, Arras and the Ypres salient. His Medal Roll shows that Bobby was transferred within the Brigade from 1st Bn to 9th (County Armagh) Bn. The transfer probably took place after a period of absence, when Bobby may have been wounded or sick.

Bobby may have come across a number of his

British War Medal & Victory Medal Roll. © National Archives

uncles in France and Belgium. Marjorie’s parents, James and Mary Vennard, had eight children.

Marjorie was the eldest and she had six brothers.

The family sometimes chose to use the spelling Venard for their name and Vennard has been retained in this document for consistency.

Edward Vennard was the eldest son (born 1879).

He was posted missing and later assumed as killed in action on 22 November 1917, serving with 12th Bn Irish Rifles ‘18/252’. With no known grave, Rifleman Edward Vennard is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial to the missing. Records show that Edward had originally embarked overseas with 9th Bn, prior to his transfer to 12th Bn. His widow, Annie and five children lived at Mill Row, Tendergee, Co Armagh. This was the same street as his parents’ address.

The second son was Abraham Vennard (born 1881). A veteran of the Boer War, with 12 years’ service with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, he had originally enlisted and deserted from the 3rd Bn Irish Fusils. Having been discharged from the army in 1911, Abraham reenlisted in the Irish Fusils ‘14740’ and was probably a member of the Ulster Volunteers with some of his brothers. He served overseas with 9th Bn from 4 October 1915.

Abraham was awarded a Military Medal (London

Gazette 29 August 1918), as a Sergeant and discharged as a Company Sergeant Major on 26 July 1918.

Third son, William Vennard (born 1883), had enlisted in the 3rd Militia Bn of the Irish Fusils in 1901, aged 17. He served 6 years with the Militia, which was the predecessor formation of the Territorial Force. William reenlisted in the 9th Bn Irish Fusilt at Portadown on 15 September 1914.

His regimental number, ‘14742’, indicates that William and Abraham had enlisted at the same time. He also disembarked in France on 4 October 1915 and William was discharged due to shell shock, as a Lance Corporal, on 26 July 1918; the same day that Abraham left the Army.

The fourth son, Thomas Vennard, evidently also enlisted in the 9th Bn Irish Fusils on 15 September 1914, as he was allocated the close service number ‘14746’. Thomas was a Sergeant when he arrived in France with his brothers on 4 October 1915.

Serving in 9th Bn throughout hostilities, he also became Company Sergeant Major of B Company and received the Distinguished Conduct Medal in January 1918. He subsequently transferred to the Royal Irish Regiment and Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. He continued to serve after the Armistice.

James Vennard (born 1890) was the fifth son to serve in the Great War. James was a labourer and member of the 5th Bn of Royal Irish Regiment when he enlisted in the Inniskilling Fusils in 1908 ‘9491’. The Inniskilling Fusils was serving in India at the outbreak of the Great War. Returning to England, the Battalion joined the Mediterranean

DCM Citation. London Gazette 28 August 1918.

Expeditionary Force. James sailed for Egypt in March 1915 and landed on Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. After evacuation from Gallipoli, 1st Bn landed in France in March 1916 and served on the

Western Front. James was wounded buried in a mine explosion on 7 May 1916. He was evacuated and treated in an Oxford Hospital. James was discharged due to wounds as a Private on 5 February 1917.

The youngest of Bobby’s uncles was Joseph Vennard (born 1892). Joseph enlisted in 3rd (Special Reserve) Bn of the Royal Irish Regiment on 2 June 1911 ‘5625’. Completing his initial training in 1911, Joseph attended annual training with the Regiment until he was mobilised for overseas service on 8 August 1914. Having completed his final training, Joseph disembarked in France with 1st Bn Irish Regiment in November 1914.

Presumably wounded or sick, Joseph returned to the UK in February 1915, where he was posted back to 3rd Bn in April that year. Having fully recuperated, Joseph rejoined 1st Bn in France in May 1915. Joseph was captured on 23 March 1918, during the German Spring Offensive. He was held as a Prisoner of War until repatriation on 10 December 1918. Joseph was demobilised on 11 April 1918 and received a pension for defective vision.

It is possible Bobby served in the ranks of the of 1st or 9th Bn with one or more of his uncles. One would hope that the challenges of his childhood would not have interfered with the family connection and prospect for mutual support.

Evidently military life offered better prospects than returning home, when most men were demobilised in 1919. Bobby went on the serve in Iraq and North West Persia, renumbered as ‘704888’, until he was discharged with a pension on 25 June 1922. His address is noted as Friars Place, Banbridge, probably reuniting with his mother at long last.

Bobby received the General Service Medal (GSM) for his post-War service, together with Victory and

(L-R) British War, Victory and General Service Medals

British War Medals for service on the Western Front.

The GSM Medal Index Card shows he received Clasps for campaigns in Iraq and North West Persia. These should be attached to the blue and green ribbons.

GSM MIC

The Iraq clasp was presented to those who satisfied one of the following conditions: Served at Ramadi or north of a line east and west through Ramadi between 10 December 1919 and 13 June 1920.Part of an establishment within Iraq between 1 July and 17 November 1920.

The N.W. Persia clasp was presented to members of NoPerForce (North Persia Force) and those on various lines of communications serving under Brigadier-General Hugh Bateman-Champain from 10 August to 31 December 1920.

The date of Bobby’s marriage to Mary Teresa Boyle (born 1898) has not yet been identified.

Billy was Protestant and Mary’s upbringing in White Abbey, Antrim was Roman Catholic. The couple relocated and spent most of their married life in Salford, Lancashire. In 1939 Bobby was a slater & tiler and resident with Mary at 21 Wyre Street, Salford. Mary’s sister, Lizzie, stayed in touch, with her husband Peter Cunningham and their family.

Bobby died in Salford during Q4 1975 and Mary passed away in March 1986. The couple evidently had no children. Bobby’s medals are now in the care of the Cunningham family.