Bernard Kilkeary
Encyclopedia
Bernard Kilkeary Irish soldier and survivor of HMS Birkenhead
.
Kilkeary was born in what is now Birr
, County Offaly
(then Parsonstown, King's County). He joined the British Army
as a youth, serving in the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot. He was one of the few survivors of the Birkenhead which went down at two o'clock in the morning on 28 February 1852. He was aboard the cutter which rescued women and children as she sank. Twelve hours later, they themselves were rescued by the schooner
, Lioness, of Capetown.
Kilkeary spent thirty-two years as a soldier, all but two in non-commissioned ranks. He was a colour Sergeant
with the 73rd, which he served with for twelve years and two hundred and one days. The remaining twenty years he spent in the Auxiliary
s, his last corps
being the Mid Ulster
Artillery, of which he was the Paymaster Sergeant.
His active service included the 1852–53 Kaffir War, the battle of Berea
and the Indian Mutiny.
As of 1902, he was residing at Dungannon
, County Tyrone
.
HMS Birkenhead (1845)
HMS Birkenhead, also referred to as HM Troopship Birkenhead or steam frigate Birkenhead, was one of the first iron-hulled ships built for the Royal Navy...
.
Kilkeary was born in what is now Birr
Birr
Birr is a town in County Offaly, Ireland. Once called Parsonstown, after the Parsons family who were local landowners and hereditary Earls of Rosse. It is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe....
, County Offaly
County Offaly
County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...
(then Parsonstown, King's County). He joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as a youth, serving in the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot. He was one of the few survivors of the Birkenhead which went down at two o'clock in the morning on 28 February 1852. He was aboard the cutter which rescued women and children as she sank. Twelve hours later, they themselves were rescued by the schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
, Lioness, of Capetown.
Kilkeary spent thirty-two years as a soldier, all but two in non-commissioned ranks. He was a colour Sergeant
Colour Sergeant
Colour sergeant or colour serjeant is a non-commissioned title in the Royal Marines and infantry regiments of the British Army, ranking above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2....
with the 73rd, which he served with for twelve years and two hundred and one days. The remaining twenty years he spent in the Auxiliary
Auxiliary
Auxiliary may refer to:* A backup site or system* Auxiliary input jack, generally for audio* Auxiliary verb* International auxiliary language* Auxiliary police* Auxiliaries, troops supporting the main force of an army** Auxiliaries...
s, his last corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
being the Mid Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
Artillery, of which he was the Paymaster Sergeant.
His active service included the 1852–53 Kaffir War, the battle of Berea
Berea
Berea or Beroea may mean:In Lesotho:*Berea DistrictIn Romania:*Berea, a village in Ciumeşti Commune, Satu Mare CountyIn South Africa:*Berea, Durban*Berea, GautengIn the United States:*Berea, Kentucky*Berea, Baltimore, Maryland...
and the Indian Mutiny.
As of 1902, he was residing at Dungannon
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
, County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
.
External links
- http://www.btinternet.com/~palmiped/Kilkeary.htm
- http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/index.cfm?fuseaction=Go.&UserID=