Thomas Heavey/Heavy

Rank:	Private
Street:
Townland:	Bog Lane
Town/Village:	Longford
Civil Parish:	Ballymacormack
Catholic Parish:	Templemichael
Country:
Alternative Address:	Farneyhoogan, Longford; Ballyminion, Longford.
Census 1901:	Likely entry at St. Michael's Road, Longford www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Longford/Longford_No__1_Urban/St__Michael_s_Road/1556145/
Census 1911:	Likely entry at Bog Lane, Longford www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Longford/Longford_No__1_Urban/Bog_Lane/651133/
Regiment/Unit:	Royal Irish Fusiliers, 2nd (Garrison) Battalion/ [Connaught Rangers, 5th (Service) Battalion] / also 4th and 3rd Battalions] / {Leinster
Regiment Number:	G/1592 / [307]
Date of Death:	20-01-1918
Cause:	Died of pneumonia, 28th General Hospital, Salonika
Memorial:	Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery, 192 Langada Street, Thessaloniki, Greece
Information:	Thomas was likely born in Cartrongeeragh on the 18 October 1869, although he was inconsistent with his age in different sources. Thomas married Susan Kelly on the 6 July 1903*. They did not have any children. Prior to the War, Thomas resided in Scotland for some years in search of work. Thomas was an experienced soldier, previously serving with the Leinster Regiment and the 4th Connaught Rangers; he had served in the 2nd Boer War, earning the Queen's South Africa Medal. He enlisted in for war service in Boyle, Co. Roscommon, on the 22 August 1914; his initial term was for three years or the duration of the war. However, as he had given his age as 40 on his attestation - towards the upper limit for service, despite being in fact 45 - they gave him dispensation to be dismissed ASAP should the war be over in a period of less than three years. This was not to be. Pte Heavey was initially stationed at Home (Curragh, Co. Kildare and then Hackwood Park, Basingstoke), but was sent with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force to Gallipoli (Anzac) in July 1915. There he most likely took part in some of the most notorious battles including the landing at Suvla, and Battle of Sari Bair and the capture of Chocolate Hill; it possibly during either the Battle of Sari Bair or the capture of Chocolate Hill he received a gun shot wound to the leg on the 10 August 1915, and was invalided to Malta. At the end of September 1915 his batallion was transferred to Mudros and then onto Salonika where his battalion engaged with the Serbian Army in the actions at Kosturino, capture of the Karajokois and the capture of Yenikoi. Thomas remained at Salonika until May 1916 when he was brought home for a number of months. Thomas transferred to the 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers on the 4 August 1916 before they returned to Salonika later that month. He likely took part in further actions here with his new regiment including: the c
Parents Names:	Son of the late Thomas and Anne Heavey of Ballyminion, Longford.
Notes:	*A note on his file states that Thomas and Susan had been living apart since September 1913. Susan later resided in Glasgow, Scotland.
Links:	Link to CWGC entry; link to Civil Record of Marriage (transcribed as Heany); likely Civil Record of Birth; actions of the Connaught Rangers in WW1;