Patrick Farrell

Rank:	Corporal
Street:	14 Hilliard Avenue
Townland:
Town/Village:	Edgewater, New Jersey
Civil Parish:
Catholic Parish:
Country:	U.S.A.
Alternative Address:	Lisnacusha, Lanesborough
Census 1901:
Census 1911:
Regiment/Unit:	'G' Company, 165th Infantry, New York National Guard,42nd Division; [New York National Guard,69th Infantry, Company 'G']
Regiment Number:	None
Date of Death:	03-05-1918
Cause:	Killed in action
Memorial:	Madonna Cemetery, Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey; Rathcline Graveyard, Lanesborough
Information:	Patrick was born likely on the 10 April 1882 in Carrowstrawley, near Lisnacusha, Lanesborough. Patrick emigrated to the US in May 1915, and worked for the American Can Company. A few months later, in September 1915, Patrick entlisted with 69th Infantry Regiment, a.k.a. The Fighting 69th or The Shamrock Battalion, part of the National Guard in New York; he served both in New York and on the Mexican border. He re-enlisted in 1917 and was one of the earlier U.S. recruits to be drafted overseas in October of that year. He was made Corporal in January 1918. Patrick was serving at Baccarat in May 1918 when he was killesd by a German shell. but was killed in action due to German shelling. Chaplain Fr. Duffy in his book notes: In this sector we have had just three battle losses. When Company G was in line, a direct hit of a German shell killed two of our old-timers, Patrick Farrell and Timothy Donnellan, and wounded Peter Bohan. Patrick's brother John was listed as next-of-kin. Journalist Megan Smolenyak included a biography of Patrick in her article for Irish America, Jersey Boys: Irish Soldiers in WW1 (link below)
Parents Names:	Son of John Farrell and Bridget (likely née Rhatigan), Lisnacush, Lanesborough
Notes:	Patrick's family has the letter sent by the chaplain Fr Francis Duffy to his brother John concerning his death and burial. Fr Duffy was a famous military chaplain and friend of the poet Alfred Joyce Kilmer, who was killed in the war.
Links:	Artice by Megan Smolenyak, Irish America; likely Civil Record of Birth; 165th Infantry in WW1; The Fighting 69th in 1918 article; link to Find A Grave entry; <a href="https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1918-05-26/ed-1/se