PRIVATE J. McCONAGHY, 1ST AND 2ND BATTALIONS ROYAL IRISH RIFLES. General Service Medal 191

PRIVATE J. McCONAGHY, 1ST AND 2ND BATTALIONS ROYAL IRISH RIFLES. General Service Medal 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq (officially impressed: 25860 PTE. J. MC CONAGHY. R.IR.RIF.). Pawnbroker’s mark lightly scratched in obverse field to left of bust, otherwise attractively toned, Almost Extremely Fine.

Medal accompanied by copied Medal Index card and extract from WW1 medal roll, which confirm that James McConaghy first saw service during WW1 as 9299 Private, 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles and subsequently as 25860 Private, 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. Private McConaghy was also entitled to the British War and Victory Medals (not entitled to either 1914 or 1914-15 Star).

WW1 Soldier’s Medical Records confirm that 9299 Rifleman McCunaghy was hospitalised on 19/1/1917 (record spells name incorrectly as McCunnaghy and FindMyPast transcript incorrectly give his regiment as Royal Irish Regiment, but a close reading of the hand written entry confirms his unit as the Royal Irish Rifles.)

McConaghy would have seen service in Iraq with the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, who saw service in Iraq 10/12/1919 to 17/11/1920 as part of 17th Division.

There were two James McConaghys who saw service as Riflemen with the Royal Irish Rifles during WW1.

(1) 12/1616 Rifleman James McConaghy, born Bushmills, Co. Antrim, who saw service with the 12th (Central Antrim) Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, and was killed in action whilst serving with that battalion on the First Day Battle of the Somme, 1/7/1916 (entitled 1914-15 Star trio and Memorial Plaque).

(2) 25860 Rifleman James McConaghy (the recipient of this medal, his name variously spelt McConaghy, McConaghey and McCunaghy) saw service during WW1 initially as 1/9299 Rifleman with the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, landing in France after December 1915 (entitled British War and Victory Medals only) and subsequently saw service in the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in Iraq in 1920 (entitled General Service Medal with Iraq clasp). After seeing service in Iraq 25860 Rifleman McConaghy was issued with a new 8 digit service number, 7007402.

Unfortunately, during WW1, because of the similarity of their names and that they were serving with the same regiment, a number of clerical errors were made when updating the details on the Medal Index card for 12/1616 Rifleman McConaghy. Despite the fact the the Medal Index card had been updated to the effect that he had “died” his card continued to be updated, but with the service details for 25860 Rifleman McConaghy, adding the latter’s WW1 service number, the award of an Iraq clasp and his subsequent 8 digit service number, giving the impression that 12/1616 Rifleman McConaghy had survived the war and gone on to see service in Iraq.

Medal accompanied by copied Medal Index card and medal rolls for both James McConaghys, copied General Service Medal roll confirming medal and Iraq clasp to 25860 Rifleman James McConaghy and that he later saw service as 7007402 Rifleman with the Royal Irish Rifles. Medal Index card and WW1 medal roll for this man both confirm that he was also entitled to the British War and Victory Medals, but that both these medals were returned.

Medal also accompanied by various research confirming 12/1616 Rifleman McConaghy was killed in action during WW1 on 1/7/1916, including Commonwealth War Graves details, extracts from Ireland’s Memorial Records and Soldier’s Died, plus entry from “Bushmills Heroes”.

The Irish 1911 census records and 30 year old James McConaghey in house 94, Beersbridge Road, Pottinger, Co. Down. Possibly the recipient of this medal.