Gunning, George Cecil

Private George Cecil Gunning

Gunning was born at Alexandra Terrace, Enniskillen on 27th October 1891 to Sinclair Gunning, Stamp Distributor and Kathleen Gunning nee Benson. They had married on 4th September 1889 at xxx Church of Ireland.

In 1901, Gunning is living in house 1, Toneystick, Alexandra Terrace, Enniskillen with his parents and 3 siblings; John Sinclair (10), Frank Douglas (6) and William Sinclair (3). Two servants, Maggie Price (24) and Fanny Ellis (24) are also living in the property.

Gunning would have joined the Belfast Banking Company around 1909. His father and later his mother signed the Bankers Guarantee. Cecil is recorded as working in Rathfriland and Portadown branches.

Bankers Guarantee Ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Rathfriland branch

 

Belfast Bank, Portadown branch

By 1911, Gunning has moved to Belfast and is boarding with the McMeekin family in house 30, Eia Street, Antrim Road, Belfast. His occupation is recorded as a Bank Official Clerk. He is one of four Bank Officials boarding there. The other three possible colleagues are Mather Murray (23), Harold Bradshaw (25) and Thomas White (21). 

Gunning's parents and his siblings; John, Frank, William and a sister, Kathleen (9) are now living in 21 Willoughby Place, Enniskillen.

Willoughby Place, Enniskillen

On 28th September 1912, Cecil signed the Ulster Covenant at Enniskillen.

Gunning volunteered and enlisted into the 7th Royal Dublin Fusiliers with Service Number 14771. His first theatre of war is recorded as the Balkans from 11th October 1915. His Medal Index Card also records a move to the Royal Flying Corps with Service Number 317980. 

G C Gunning - Medal Index Card

Gunning's RAF Record Card shows him transferring to the RAF on 3rd August 1918 as an Officer Cadet.

G C Gunning - RAF Service Record Card

Gunning was awarded the 1915 Star, the British War Medal and the British Victory Medal for his service in the Great War. This Medal Roll also records that Cecil was discharged on 2nd May 1919.

G C Gunning - RAF Medal Roll also showing Royal Dublin Fusiliers

G C Gunning - RAF Medal Roll also showing Royal Dublin Fusiliers

Following his demobilisation after the Great War, Gunning returned to the Belfast Bank.

The Northern Whig of 23rd September 1936 reported the birth of a daughter to Mr & Mrs Gunning, Belfast Bank House, Tandragee. He was a past captain of Tandragee Golf Club (1940).

Gunning would later be transferred to Portadown branch as manager.

Retirement came in 1953 and he died on 20th March 1974.

The Gunning family were well known in Enniskillen. Their father was the Distributor of Stamps in Enniskillen from 1877 to 1910. He died in 1916.

During the Great War, John (Jack) Sinclair (20 in 1911) worked for the Ulster Bank, George Cecil (19 in 1911) worked for the Belfast Banking Company and Frank Douglas (16 in 1911) worked for the Bank of Ireland. Jack joined the Royal Navy, Cecil and Douglas joined the Army and Willie (13 in 1911) joined the Royal Naval Reserve. Douglas was reported as killed in action on 1st July 1916.

An early family photograph of the parents with their young family is held by the Enniskillen Castle Museum.

Photo - BBC 'Your Place and Mine'

The Belfast News Letter of 8th July1916 reports on F D Gunning:

The Belfast News Letter of 6th September 1916 reports on F D Gunning:

7th October 1916 reports on F D Gunning:

This next link is to a BBC website called 'Your Place and Mine'. It reports on the Gunning family and includes some audio clips that may work (depending on what applications are on your computer).

WW1 - The Gunning Family

G C Gunning (left) and B H Gunning (via Ancestry.com)

Frank Douglas Gunning and George Cecil Gunning in WWI

Taken from Radio Ulster broadcast by Marion Maxwell Nov 2005

Cecil Gunning via Ancestry.com

The Gunning children grew up in Enniskillen with a love of sport, especially rugby, and, living by the lake, were accomplished swimmers and oarsmen.

All four brothers joined up at the outbreak of war in 1914. Jack went into the Navy, Cecil and Douglas into the army, Willie into the Royal Navy Reserve. Their young sister Kathleen remained with her parents.

Cecil and Douglas, then aged 21 and 19 left jobs in the bank to join up. Douglas, then working in Sligo, cycled fifty miles on an old pushbike to be in time to join up with his elder brother in ’D’ Company, Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

Immortalized as the ’Pals’ it consisted mainly, though not exclusively, of young professional men, many from Dublin, all sharing a strong pride in their Irishness. Referred to as ‘The Footballers’, many of them were bound by a passion for rugby - a large element had formed up on the rugby pitch at Lansdowne Road to volunteer. On a point of honour, most declined commissions, choosing to serve as squaddies. Because the Dublin Fusiliers - ’Dubs’ for short had a reputation for toughness, ‘D’ company was wittily dismissed as the ‘Toffs among the Tuffs’. History would prove otherwise.

After training at the Curragh and Basingstoke, the two Enniskillen brothers set sail with the 7th Battalion the Royal Dublin Fusiliers for Gallipoli. They kept a diary of their experiences, part 1 written day-about by Cecil and Douglas on the month long outward voyage, part 2 by Douglas after being invalided home. Fused with excitement, the outward journal reads like a Boys Own adventure.

Saturday 10th July saw us steam out of Plymouth in up-beat mood aboard the Alaunia. ‘D’ company were stuck at the bottom of the boat, but-good food, salt water baths and sea air had already combined to make us feel fit.

Each day began with a run at-the-double round the deck. They relished the luxury of ice-cold oranges from the refrigerator, took part in swimming races, witnessed splendid sunsets and saw porpoises swimming by moonlight. Typical of the close camaraderie among the ‘Pals’ Battalion the two brothers and their best friend Guy feature in the diary under their nicknames Golly, Mollie and Gertie. 13 platoon quickly developed a reputation for schoolboy-like rascality.

The voyage opened up a whole new world - one highlight was a route march round the magnificent harbour at Alexandria, the ‘Dubs’ taking their leave with a rousing rendering of ‘Tipperary’.

However, the sight of Red Cross boats returning from the Dardanelles full of wounded soldiers gave a hint of what was to come.

The 7th Battalion landed at Suvla Bay on 7th August 1915. Provided neither with maps nor clear orders, their artillery guns sent to France by mistake, they arrived to a barrage of Turkish fire from the towering heights above the bay. On those slopes, ‘D’ Company - the ‘Pals’- would earn a lasting reputation for bravery, but at a terrible cost: of its 239 men who landed, only 79 remained after 8 weeks.

Douglas later described the scene:

At 4 a.m. I awoke off the Gallipoli coast. We could hear the boom boom and see the flash from Turkish guns coming from the big ridge of mountains, shells bursting, our men landing from the lighters and stretcher bearers bringing down and collecting wounded on the beach. The whole bay was quivering with the vibration. Mind you, just before this, Gertie and Mollie had been up playing a little tune on the small piano in the saloon - I’m sure that was quite a unique event to have occurred in the Gallipoli campaign.

Somehow, we got on to the beach safely. It was remarkable how quickly you got used to it and soon we never bothered ducking unless the shell was quite close. I must say the discipline stood to us marvellously, for we were more or less stupefied.

We got on past stretcher bearers, wounded, dying and dead, and arrived at a long strand, shells dropping, men groaning and the medical corps bandaging like fury. We lay like sardines under the cliff. The Inniskillings were there also and who was with them only our uncle Captain Bob Stevenson from Moygashel!

After one frightening near miss, the brothers separated to minimize the chance they would both be killed.

Respite came at nightfall, as the Turks were, for the moment, driven back over the summit.

We were so tired; some of us didn’t eat as much as a biscuit or take a sup of water. It was absolutely miserable in the dark to hear the moaning of the wounded and dying, both of our own brave men and the Turks. I slept for an hour and woke, my teeth and knees shivering cold.

Despite the efforts of a human chain passing buckets up and down the mountainside, thirst soon became a torture. Nearby was a big lake of dry salt for all the world like frozen snow. The hot air rises off it in the daytime and you could see a rim of white scum formed on our lips by it. In this state, you could drink anything and it was a maddening thirst, I’m sure, that helped me to get dysentery. After a few days, the wells dried up we were drinking mud and gravel as well; our teeth used to be black with the dirty water.

Reunited during a lull in the battle, the trio, Golly and Mollie and Gertie exchanged experiences and shared a ‘gloriously sweet’ tin of condensed milk. Someone had found the body of a young Turkish girl sniper with fourteen chilling trophies round her neck - identification tags mostly from the Munster Fusiliers. Another find was a bag of clothes: they all bagged a Turkish waistcoat and one joker put on a Fez and peeped into the next trench for a bit of crack!

Anything that brought a bit of cheer helped to alleviate the sense of horror: Responding to the constant call for stretcher bearers, there to the fore would come their good-humoured friend Fatty Clements, a clergyman’s son from Moira, leading the way with a broad grin on his face.

Day after night passed in a blur of exhaustion: Just when they thought they were going to base for a rest, they were ordered to undertake a five hour hike to reach the beach where they had landed. Stumbling over make-shift burial mounds in the dark, the two brothers found each other again and slept for two hours under a rock. Rubbing sand over their bodies to remove the dirt, they surveyed the scene: shells bursting, mules shifting supplies, a steamer condensing seawater into fresh. Then, off up the slopes again. It was exhausting carrying dixies of water, then having to dig themselves in.

A mailbag from home brought a letter that made them terribly home sick. Also enclosed was the Punch Summer Annual

I thought it awfully tragic for people at home to be laughing over such silly things while we were in a game of life and death. Sunday. Our hope of sharing divine service with our Catholic friends and good old Father Murphy, vanished before dawn as we came under Turkish shell fire that lasted all day. At one point, a cheer went up in front - the gallant Munsters had taken a ridge of trenches at bayonet point and were yelling like madmen.

Often, the men in the front line were to be seen catching the bombs and throwing them back but their heroism was never recorded because their officers were practically all killed. The brothers witnessed terrible woundings, but actually only a third of casualties at Gallipoli were due to injuries: the rest contracted illnesses caused by extremes of heat and cold, plagues of flies and lack of clean water.

By roll call on 17th August, over 100 of ‘D’ company was absent.

That evening we sat looking at the sun setting in the west and thinking of home. Although we couldn’t, I’m sure a ‘blub’ would have made us feel better.’

Next day, Douglas felt the symptoms of dysentery and joined the line of men being sent down to the field hospital. - a rough and rocky journey. In daylight, they were brought down to the beach and labelled like parcels. They lay under a shelter until put on board the Alaunia - now refitted as a hospital ship accommodating 2,000 cases. The attention of nurses and luxuries like hot milk brought comfort and as he improved, Douglas helped the hard-pressed medics. There were 68 burials at sea.

Back in London, Douglas spent a week in hospital, but, determined to get back to Ireland, he discharged himself.

I was up since dawn for a first glimpse of Ireland, then to Enniskillen to my dear, dear Father and Mother who met me at the station with open arms.

Just weeks later, Douglas helped shoulder the coffin at his father’s funeral. Cecil was still far from home, by then invalided to a hospital in Alexandria.

To the distress of the family and against medical advice - for he was still traumatized - Douglas answered the appeal for trainee officers and took a commission as a sub lieutenant in the 6th Inniskillings. They left for France on 16th June 1916.

Writing two days later to his mother, Douglas assured her:

As long as I left you without any tears, dear, my heart did not ache. I did feel proud at Charing Cross to be one of that noble lot going out.

On 30th June, the eve of the battle of the Somme, he wrote:

Dearest, Well, here I am in the thick of it all and talk about Suvla Bay, why this is a thousand times worse. The noise would put you astray in the head. For the sake of us all, pray for a speedy and victorious peace. Mizpah.

The next communication came from the War Office:

Deeply regret to inform you that your son is reported missing, believed killed in action, 1st July.

According to the official citation, Douglas was leading the Enniskillen platoon when a bullet took off one of his fingers. As he was binding it up, his men urged him to go back to the dressing station. Insisting that his place was with them, he refused and went on until a shell extinguished his bright and noble spirit.

Douglas’s name appears on the Thiepval memorial along with those of more than 72,000 men who died at the Somme and have no known grave.

Cecil survived to resume his career in banking. He talked little of his experiences, but retained a strong dislike of barbed wire.

Cooke, John Anthony

Captain John Anthony Cooke

Cooke was born at 14 Leinster Avenue, Dublin on 27th August 1878 to James Treshan Cooke, Clergyman of Church of Ireland and Dora Jane Cooke nee Mannoy or Mannox. They had married on 23rd October 1875 at Drumcondra Church of Ireland, Dublin.

James Cooke died on 11th April 1891 aged 34.

 
Cooke would have joined the Belfast Banking Company around 1895 / 1896. His mother signed his Bankers Guarantee for him. He is recorded as working in Drogheda branch.

Bankers Guarantee Ledger Sheet

Belfast Bank, Drogheda branch

In 1901, Cooke's mother, Dora (44) was a visitor to house 101, Brighton Road, Rathmines, Dublin. 

In the same year, John Anthony Cooke is living alone in house 49.3, Pollbwee, Navan, Co. Meath. His occupation is recorded as a Bank Accountant. He may have been working in the Navan branch.

Belfast Bank, Navan branch

By 1911, Cooke was again living in house 6, The Allies, Fair Gate (Drogheda), Co. Louth with his mother and sister, Anna Dora Davey Cooke (27). A servant, Mary Bridget Levins (17) is also living in the property. John's occupation is recorded as a Bank Cashier.

Cooke married Frances Mary McGusty on 20th February 1917 at St Stephen's Church, Dublin. By that time he was already a 2nd Lt in the 10th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers based in the Newtownards Army Camp. Further information on this camp can be sourced here - History Hub Ulster.

Cooke & McGusty - Marriage Registration

Map showing the site of the Great War Army Camp in Newtownards

Cooke had probably volunteered around 1916 and enlisted into the 9th Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers. His first theatre of war was France from 27th February 1917. His address on the Medal Index Card is recorded as 'Parkmount', Lisburn. 

J A Cooke - Medal Index Card

The Belfast Banking Company 'Roll of Honour' booklet records Cooke's last known address as 'being in hospital'.

Following his demobilisation after the Great War, Cooke returned to work eventually ending up in Head Office and then as Manager of the Lisburn branch.

Belfast Bank, Head Office, Waring Street, Belfast

The Belfast News-Letter of 17th March 1919 published this advert announcing the opening of their Lisburn branch under the managership of John Cooke.

Belfast Bank, Lisburn branch

Whilst in Lisburn, John Cooke is reported in the Belfast Telegraph of 24th May 1924 giving evidence in a trial.

Retirement for John came in 1929. He later moved to Dublin.

 
John Cooke died on 3rd October 1961. The PRONI Wills database records:

Cooke, John Anthony of 1a Wellington Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin, retired bank manager died 3 October 1961 at Saint Patrick's Hospital, James's Street, Dublin. Probate Belfast 28 February to Basil James O'Ferrall retired chief cashier. Effects £775 3s. 2d.

Christie, Charles MacGillicuddy

Private Charles MacGillicuddy Christie

Christie was born at Gortin, Co. Tyrone on 2nd February 1884 to William James Christie, Clerk in Holy Orders and Maud Christie nee Waters. 

Wm James Christie, Clerk in Holy Orders married Sarah Matilda Waters on 21st August 1872 at Carrick-on-Shannon.

The couple had 8 children:

• Sadie on 27th July 1873,
• George Cecil on 12th September 1874;
• William Samuel on 18th March 1878,
• Arthur on 21st April 1881,
• Maude on 13th June 1882, died 9th December 1883,
• Charles on 2nd February 1884,
• Robert Harry Campbell on 27th February 1885,
• Frances Maud on 21st April 1887,

Schooling for Christie was at Campbell College, Belfast between February 1900 and April 1902. His religion is recorded as Episcopalian.

The 1901 Irish Census records Christie (17) as a Campbell College boarder living in house 2.4, Ballycloughan, Ballyhackamore, Belfast. 

In 1901 Christie's parents, William James Christie (Rector, Church of Ireland, 54) and Florence Margaret (47) and his sister, Frances Maud (13) are living in Moyle Glebe, Co. Tyrone. An aunt, Lily Gertrude Cuddy (60) and a servant, Ellen Mills (23) are also living in the property.

I wonder if Maud Christie nee Waters (births above), Sarah Matilda Waters (marriage above) and Florence Margaret Christie (census above) are the same person. The connection being William James Christie, Clerk in Holy Orders / Rector)

Christie joined the Belfast Banking Company with his father signing his Bankers Guarantee for him. His address is recorded as The Rectory, Newtownstewart. George Cecil Christie (brother) of 4 Ashdale Road, Terenure, Dublin later signed the guarantee.

Belfast Bank Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

The Campbell College book ‘The Campbellian’ (Volume IV, Page 73) records Christie as working for the Belfast Bank and later for the Canadian Bank of Commerce.

Christie's father, William (Clerk in Holy Orders, 60) died on 10th February 1907 at 1 Hargrove Terrace, Dublin South.

By 1911, Christie (27) was boarding with a Isabella Armstrong (46) in house 6, Newington Terrace, Rathmines & Rathgar East, Dublin. He is described as a Bank Official and his religion Church of Ireland. There were 3 other boarders with ages 45, 71 & 80.

Belfast Bank, College Green, Dublin branch

Christie was working in College Green, Dublin when he volunteered and enlisted into the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) as a Private with Service Number 106604. His Service Records from 12th January 1916 still exist:

C M Christie - Extract Service Record 1

C M Christie - Extract Service Record 5

C M Christie - Extract Service Record 8

C M Christie - Medal Index Card

C M Christie - Medal Roll

Christie serving with the 69th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) when he was killed in action on 18th August 1917 aged 33 (died of his wounds). He is buried in the Brandhoek New Military Cemetery Number 3, Belgium.

Christie is remembered on Ireland's WW1 Casualties:

The Army 'Register of Soldier's Effects records:

Probate of the Will was granted at Dublin to George W Christie, Bank Official. Christie's effects were £145 17s 1d.

Andrews, Arthur Alexander

Lieutenant Arthur Alexander Andrews

Andrews was born at Stuart Place, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone on 27th August 1894 to Alexander Andrews, Tea Merchant and Violet Andrews nee Morrison. They had married on 4th December 1889 at the 'Original Secession (Presbyterian) Church, Ballymoney'.

In 1901 Andrews (7) lived in house 1, Chapel Road, Dungannon with his parents and 3 siblings; Jim (10*), May (9) and Fred (6**). Three servants were also present in the house; Mathew McIbree, Hugh Mackrell and Minnie Boyd. The first 2 were also described as Tea Travellers.

In 1911 Andrews, his parents and 2 siblings, May and Fred were living in the same property. There were  2 servants also described as Tea Travellers; Isaac Troughton and George Neill were also present in the house.

Andrews probably joined the Belfast Banking Company between 1912 and the war years. His father, Alex Andrews signed the bankers Guarantee.  Arthur saw service in Portaferry, Coleraine and Bangor branches. 

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Portaferry branch

Belfast Bank, Coleraine branch

Belfast Bank, Coleraine branch - interior

Belfast Bank, Bangor branch

Andrews enlisted into the Royal Irish Fusiliers in 1915 and served with their 9th and 10th Battalions first as a 2nd Lieutenant and then as a Lieutenant.

The following transcripts of newspaper articles relating to Arthur Andrews have been copied from the website Dungannon War Dead Database. My sincere thanks go to their researchers. This excellent link also provides extensive coverage of the war actions of Arthur's two brothers, 2nd Lt Wm James M Andrews (* RFC) and 2nd Lt Fred S Andrews (** Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers).

The Mid Ulster Mail dated 29th 1915 reports:

"Mr Arthur Andrews, who was home for the weekend, is the second son of Mr Alexander Andrews, Stuart Place, Dungannon. Educated at Dungannon Royal School, he obtained an appointment in the Belfast Bank after public competition. He served in the company’s offices in Portaferry and Coleraine and also in Bangor. He has answered his country’s call on Easter Tuesday and joined the Cadet Corps of the 17th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, and is at present stationed at Newcastle, County Down." 

The Belfast News-Letter dated 13th July 1916 reports:

"Second Lieutenant Arthur Andrews, Royal Irish Fusiliers (Armagh Volunteers), who, as already reported, was wounded on the 1st July, has now written to his father, Mr Alexander Andrews, Stuart Place, Dungannon, stating that he sustained a compound fracture of the thigh, but is progressing favourably."

The Tyrone Courier dated 13th July 1916 reports:

"Second Lieutenant Arthur Andrews, Irish Fusiliers, wounded in the thigh, is the second son of Mr Alexander Andrews, Stuart Place, Dungannon, and received his commission on 23rd August 1915. Previous to this, he was in the employment of the Belfast Banking Company in Coleraine and Belfast. He was educated at the Royal School Dungannon."

The Mid Ulster Mail dated 15th July 1916 reports:

"Second Lieutenant Arthur Andrews, Royal Irish Fusiliers, has been wounded in the thigh. He is the second son of Mr Alexander Andrews, Stuart Place, Dungannon, and received his commission on 23rd August 1915. Previous to this he was in the employment of the Belfast Banking Company in Coleraine and Belfast. He was educated at the Royal School Dungannon."

The Tyrone Courier dated 20th July 1916 reports:

"Second Lieutenant Arthur Andrews, Irish Fusiliers, who as already reported, was wounded on 1st July, has written to his father Mr Alexander Andrews, Stuart Place, Dungannon, stating that he sustained a compound fracture of the thigh, but is progressing favourably."

The Mid Ulster Mail dated 22nd July 1916 reports:

"Second Lieutenant Andrews, Royal Irish Fusiliers, who, as already noted, has been wounded in action, has written to his father, Mr Alexander Andrews, Stuart Place, Dungannon, intimating that he sustained a compound fracture of the thigh, caused by a bullet wound."

The Mid Ulster Mail dated 23rd December 1916 reports:

"Second Lieutenant Arthur Andrews, Royal Irish Fusiliers, returned home to Dungannon on Tuesday suffering from wounds received in the famous advance on 1st July. He is the second son of Mr Alexander Andrews, Stuart Place, Dungannon, and received his commission on 23rd August 1915, having prior to volunteering been in the employment of the Belfast Banking Company in Coleraine and Belfast. He has sustained a compound fracture of the thigh, and the sciatic nerve had also been injured causing severe pain."

Andrews was reported in the Belfast Banking Company 'Roll of Honour' booklet as 'wounded in action'.

Belfast Bank - 'Roll of Honour' booklet

Following Andrews' demobilisation from the war, he was awarded the British Victory Medal and the British War Medal. His address as recorded on the Medal Index Card is The Royal Bank of Ireland, Letterkenny.

A A Andrews - Medal Index Card

A A Andrews - Medal Group

Photo courtesy of the Somme Heritage Centre (holders)

The Medal Index Card records that Andrews was also awarded a Silver War Badge numbered 233447 on 10th April 1918 as a result of his injuries.

A A Andrews - Silver War Badge roll (bottom)

A Pension Record card was created for Andrews and records his disability as a 'gun shot wound thigh'. His wife (now a widow) is recorded as Margaret Joyce Andrews.

On 25th July 1921 the Belfast News Letter reported that Mr A A Andrews of Belfast Bank was in a serious motor accident with injuries that may result in his leg being amputated.  This may be avoided as his other leg was injured during the war.

Belfast News Letter dated 25th July 1921

The Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet (above) records in pencil that Andrews 'left' the bank, date unknown.  

Jim Andrews (Arthur's brother) medals are also held by the Somme Heritage Centre:

W J M Andrews - Medal Group

Photo courtesy of the Somme Heritage Centre (holders)

William James (Jim) Morrison Andrews was born at Coolhill, Dungannon on 6th October 1890 to Alexander Andrews, Tea Merchant and Violet Andrews nee Morrison (see above). 

He volunteered and enlisted into the Royal Flying Corps and attained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. 

Jim Andrews was killed in a flying accident over Salisbury Plain, England on 4th June 1917 and is buried in Drumcoo Cemetery, Dungannon. He is remembered on the Roll of Honour in a local church.

Further information on Jim Andrews can be accessed here.