Somme Stories from Downpatrick
Thousands of Irishmen from both sides of the community took part in the Battle of the Somme, most coming from two units known as the 16th and 36th Divisions. By the end of 1916, over 10,000 of these men had been killed or wounded.
The three Downpatrick men below were remembered in Down Cathedral at a Cross–Community Prayer Vigil on 30 June.
William Tweedie was born in Downpatrick on 18 June 1881 to Andrew and Elizabeth Tweedie, being one of their four children. His father was a plasterer and the family home was in New Bridge Street.
In 1901, William’s occupation was listed as “Private, 5th Royal Irish Rifles”, which was also known as the Royal South Down militia. William Tweedie married Eliza or Lily Sturgeon on 5 September 1902 in St John the Evangelist Church of Ireland in Killyleagh and they were living in Bridge Street in Downpatrick with their three–year–old son, Cecil, in 1911.
William Tweedie enlisted with the Reserve Brigade of the Ulster Division and was posted to the 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, in France in early January 1916. Rifleman Tweedie was killed in action, at the age of 35, on 1 July 1916 and is buried in the Tincourt New British Cemetery in the Somme region of France.
The family belonged to the Church of Ireland.
Francis James Keenan was born in Downpatrick on 4 December 1897 to William and Kate Mary Keenan. His mother died on 28 March 1899 and his father married for a second time to Mary Ellen Mullan on 26 December 1902 Francis James Keenan enlisted with 14th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, and proceeded to France with the Ulster Division in October 1915.
Rifleman Francis James Keenan was killed in action on 1 July 1916 at the age of 18 – his body was never recovered and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
His brother, Lance–Corporal Patrick Joseph Keenan, had been killed in action with the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, at Neuve Chappel on 5 March 1915 at the age of 21 and is buried in the Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard at Laventie in the Pays de Calais region of France.
The family was Roman Catholic.
Joseph Clydesdale was born in Downpatrick on 26 October 1894 to Joseph George and Annie Davison Clydesdale, the eldest of their seven children. His father was a general labourer and the family was living at New Bridge Street in Downpatrick in 1911, at which time Joseph working as a servant in house of Thomas Morrison, Farmer and Spirit Grocer, of Inch
Joseph enlisted in Downpatrick in September 1914 and was deployed to France in October 1916 with 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, part of Ulster Division.
Rifleman Joseph Clydesdale was killed in Action on 1 July 1916 at the age of 20 – his body was never recovered and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
His brother, John Alexander Clydesdale, was killed in action whilst serving with 15th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, on 22 November 1917, aged 19 – his body was never recovered and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
Both are commemorated on the Roll of Honour for Downpatrick Presbyterian Church.