Edward Carrig

Edward was born in Secunderabad, India, on 16 June 1864, indicating that he was probably the son of a serving soldier. He enlisted in the army for the first time on 16 December 1879 (aged 15.5 years). He served in India for 12 years, Malta for 4 years, Egypt for 11 months and South Africa (Boer War) for 11 months, though the exact order of his postings is unclear. He received the Egypt Medal with clasp (a British medal for service in Egypt in the period 1882-89), the Khedive's Bronze Star (an Egyptian medal for service in Egypt and Sudan in the period 1882-91) and the medal for service in South Africa, 1899-1900.

Edward married Mary Powell in Ennis, Co. Clare on 21 June 1901. Mary was from Inch-beg, Co. Clare. By then, Edward was described as being a labourer. They lived firstly in Clare, where their eldest child, Edward, was born in 1903; then they moved to Meath, where their daughter Annie was born in 1904; from there they went to Wexford, where their son Thomas was born in 1907; and from there they moved to Co. Kilkenny, where they had Margaret in 1910. They were living in Piltown, Co' Kilkenny for the 1911 census. There appears to be no record of the birth of their next child, Mary, in 1912. Their last child, Christina, was born in Ballycurrane, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, on 3 January 1916, when Edward was again in the army. They also had a child who died (see 1911 census form).

Edward re-enlisted on 26 Sept. 1915 and was then described as a farm labourer. He seems not to have had active service during the war and was stationed in Tipperary in early 1916. He discharged on medical grounds on 9 Feb. 1917. He received the Silver War Badge.

Civil death record