Boland, Alexander
Rifleman
No. 14098, 10th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Saturday 1 July 1916 (aged 21)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Thiepval Memorial, France (Pier and Face 15 A and 15 B)
Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) Roll of Honour 1914 – 1919 for
Crescent Presbyterian Church Belfast
Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour
BIOGRAPHY
Alexander Boland was born on 10 January 1895 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards and he was a son of Charles and Martha Boland (nee Kirkpatrick) who were married on 19 October 1891 in First Newtownards Presbyterian Church. Charles Boland, a grocer from Newtownards was a son of Robert Boland, a grocer (deceased). Martha Kirkpatrick, a dressmaker from Newtownards was a daughter of Alexander Kirkpatrick, a farmer and spirit merchant.
The Boland family lived in Greenwell Street, Newtownards and at 28 James Street, Newtownards.
Charles Boland worked as a grocer and then as a clerk and a labourer.
Martha Boland worked as a dressmaker before the family moved to Belfast.
Charles and Martha Boland had at least eleven children:
Annie (born 4 September 1892 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards; died of meningitis 9 March 1894)
Margaret Kirkpatrick (Maggie, born 2 September 1893 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
Alexander (born 10 January 1895 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
Robert Charles (born 13 April 1896 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
Arthur (born 13 August 1897 in Britannia Place, Newtownards)
Annie (born 18 December 1898 in Britannia Place, Newtownards)
Elizabeth (born 20 November 1900 in Britannia Place, Newtownards)
David John Warden (born 29 January 1903 at 22 Beech Street, Belfast)
Catherine (born 26 January 1905 at 13 Gosford Street, Belfast)
Albert (born 9 September 1906 at 13 Gosford Street, Belfast)
Maud (born 31 December 1908 at 17 Gosford Street, Belfast; died of broncho-pneumonia 2 May 1910)
Five of the Boland children, including Alexander, were baptised in First Newtownards Presbyterian Church.
Prior to the outbreak of the Great War Alexander Boland worked as a printer and after he enlisted in Belfast he served with the 10th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 107th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division.
Rifleman Alexander Boland (No. 14098) was 21 when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme and at that time the Boland family was living at 21 Gosford Street, Belfast.
Rifleman Alexander Boland (No. 14098) has no known grave and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France; in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) Roll of Honour 1914 – 1919 for Crescent Presbyterian Church Belfast and in the Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour.