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Carlow County - Ireland Genealogical Projects (IGP TM)

James Stapleton 1888 - 1916
Bagenalstown, Co. arlow
World War I soldier

The following information was supplied by Mary Anne Dorner on her Great Uncle James Stapleton.  As you will see, I have done a lot of research and have actually visited the field where he was killed and his final resting place.

James Stapleton was my Irish grandmother's brother.  Anna Marie Stapleton Soens emigrated to Chicago in Sept. 1891.  She and seven of her siblings had already left home before the 1901 Irish census was taken.

Below is some family history, which includes a census and also James Stapleton's military history and record of his death and final resting place.

1901 Census of Ireland, The Long Range, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow:

STAPLETON, Edward, head, R. Catholic, can read & write, age 49, Labourer, b. Co. Carlow.
Mary, wife, R. Catholic, can read and write, age 47, Plain-sewing, b. Co. Carlow.
James, son, R. Catholic, can read and write, age 14, scholar, b. Co. Carlow.
Mary, dau., R. Catholic, can read and write, age 13, scholar, b. Co. Carlow.
Ellen, dau., R. Catholic, can read and write, age 10, scholar, b. Co. Carlow.
Michael, son, R. Catholic, can read and write, age 8, scholar, b. Co. Carlow.
Martin, son, R. Catholic, can read, age 6, scholar, b. Co. Carlow.
Patrick, son, R. Catholic, cannot read, age 3, b. Co. Carlow.

1905, March 11 - Attestation for Militia.

Name: James STAPLETON
Year of birth:1888
Place of birth: Bagenalstown, Carlow
Regiment: King's Royal Rifle Corps - 60th Rifles
Regimental No. 1919.
James Stapleton, b. Bagenalstown, Carlow.
Current master - Mr. Campbell, Dunamore, Carlow.
Age: 17 yrs., 9 months.
Single.
Term - six years - King's Royal Rifle Corps.
Description on enlistment - 5'3", 111 lbs., eyes - grey, hair - brown.
Religious denomination - RC.
Statement of services of No. 1919:
K.R.K. Battalion 8, Attested, Pte., March 11, 1905, Present 1905 - Annual Training.
Military History Sheet.
Note added: Address 2. Ward St., Bagenalstown.
Next-of-Kin: Father: Edward Stapleton, Bagenalstown.

1911 Census of England, County:

Overseas military; RG14PN34991 RD641 SD16 ED14 SN9999
Page 4, line 28, Quetta [India]
2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers
British Infantry Barracks No 12 Block, Quetta, Baluchistan, India.
STAPLETON, James, Private, age 23, single, b. Bagenalstown, Carlow.

WW1 Medal Rolls.

1914 Campaign - Qualifying Date - Sept. 12, 1914.
STAPLETON, James, Pte., R. Ir. Fus., Reg. No. 8921.
Medals:
Victory - Roll B/103  3, Page 206.
British - Roll B/103  3, Page 206.
'14 Star - Roll B/4, Page 116.
Action Taken - K. in A.

1915, August 4- Informal Will:

W. O. No. E/251064/1 Domicile: Irish.
Record No. 221/403351 16-17.
The enclosed document dated 4 Aug 1915 –
Name: James Stapleton and signed Stapleton.
Regtl No. and rank: 8921 Pte.
Regt. 1st BN Irish Fusiliers.
Killed in Action France 1 July 16.

Will:

"In the event of my death I give the whole of my property & effects to Mrs. E. Stapleton, Wards St. Bagenalstown Co. Carlow Ireland.  Signed 8921 Pt. Stapleton 1st Roy. Ir. Fus. France August 4, 1915.

1916

Name: STAPLETON, James
Unit: Royal Irish Fusiliers
Rank: Private
Number: 8921
Year: 1916
Volume : I.76
Page: 20
Record source: GRO War Death Army Other Ranks (1914 to 1921)

1916, July 1:

Name: James STAPLETON
Rank: PRIVATE
Initials: J
Birthplace: Bagenalstown , Co. Carlow
Residence: Bagenalstown
Enlisted: Carlow
Regiment, Corps etc.: Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
Battalion etc.: 1st Battalion.
4.8.14 Shorncliffe: 10th Bde. 4th Div. To York. 18 Aug. Harrow. 23.8.14 landed at Boule. 36th Div. 11.11.18 108th Bde. 36th Div. Belgium; Mouscron, N.E. of Tourcoing.
Number: 8921
Date dogne. 3.8.17 to 36th Div. and on 24 Aug. to 107th Bde. 8.2.18 to 108th Bdied: 1 July 1916
How died: Killed in action
Theatre of war: France & Flanders

STAPLETON, J

Rank: Private
Service No:8921
Date of Death:01/07/1916
Regiment/Service: Royal Irish Fusiliers
1st Bn.
Grave Reference      I. I. 77.
Cemetery    SUCRERIE MILITARY CEMETERY, COLINCAMPS

Ireland's Memorial Records.

World War 1 Roll of Honor, page 57:
STAPLETON, James, Reg. No. 8921.
Rank, Private, 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers;
Killed in action, France, July 1, 1916.
Born Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow.

In May 2016, my husband and I visited James Stapleton's grave in the Sucrerie Military Cemetery in Colincamps, France.  It was a very moving day. We hired a private tour guide and car and actually drove to several sites where my great-uncle was engaged in battle before losing his life on the first day of the Battle of the Somme 01 July 1916.  We saw the field where he was killed and then visited his grave in a small military cemetery not that many miles away.  Our tour guide Jacques did an exceptional job, and even gave us information (on a disc) that they discovered when researching my great-uncle's whereabouts in the weeks and months leading up to his death.

Here is the tour company we used, which I would highly recommend:

Genevra Charsley & Jacques Ryckebosch
Flanders Battlefield Tour
Boeschepestraat 29
B-8970 Poperinge
Belgium
Telephone: 0032 (0) 57360460
Email: info@ypres-fbt.com
Website: https://www.ypres-fbt.com

We actually stayed in Ypres, Belgium and were able to attend "The Last Post" at the Menin Gate one evening.  Generva also arranged for us to have a poppy wreath that we laid on the grave of James Stapleton.  I do believe I am the only family member who has actually visited his final resting place.

His name is on the wall of the World War I Memorial at Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow.  But when we visited the military museum in Carlow, they did not have the above information.  I emailed them James Stapleton's service records (as above) but never heard back from them.

Thank you for treating this information with respect and honor.  Our tour guide said that James must have been "one hell of a soldier" to survive the battles leading up to the Battle of the Somme.  He surmised that because he was a fusilier that he may have been trained is using hand grenades and/or other quite sophisticated weapons for the time he served.  May he and all those who lost their lives in World War I and other wars Rest in Peace.

Source of this information: The Rev. Mary Anne Dorner c.Jan 2018.

Please report any links or images which do not open to mjbrennan30@gmail.com

The information contained in these pages is provided solely for the purpose of sharing with others researching their ancestors in Ireland.
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