Drennan, James Arthur
Private
No. 22820, 1st Battalion, Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
Died of wounds on Saturday 14 April 1917 (aged 18)
Buried:
Etaples Military Cemetery, France (Grave XXII. H. 22)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Donaghadee and District War Memorial (Millisle District)
Millisle Presbyterian Church
BIOGRAPHY
James Arthur Drennan was born on 20 March 1899 in the townland of Ballyrolly and he was a son of John and Annie Maria (Anna May) Drennan (nee McKeag) who were married on 19 September 1890 in Ballyblack Presbyterian Church. John Drennan from Millisle was a son of John Drennan, a labourer. Annie McKeag (aged 20) from Ballyhaskin was a daughter of James McKeag, a labourer.
John Drennan worked as a labourer and his wife, Annie Maria, worked as a seamstress.
They had at least eleven children:
David John (born 29 September 1890 in Ballyhaskin)
Hugh (born 23 October 1892 in Ballyrolly)
Georgina Dunbar Buller (born 1 December 1894 in Ballyrolly; died of blood poisoning 3 February 1904)
James Arthur (born 20 March 1899 in Ballyrolly)
Maggie Eleanor (born 28 August 1900 in Ballyrolly)
Annie Catherine (born 20 March 1903 in Ballyrolly)
Frederick Ernest (born 12 April 1905 in Ballyrolly)
Thomas White (born 18 August 1907 in Ballyrolly)
Georgina (born 26 March 1909 in Ballyrolly)
Jane McCauley (born 11 March 1911 in Ballyrolly)
Albert (born 7 May 1914 in Ballyrolly; died of bronchitis 26 May 1914)
The Drennan family lived in Woburn Road, Millisle and it was in Millisle Presbyterian Church that the children were baptised. Later they lived at 2 Victoria Terrace, William Street, Donaghadee.
James Arthur Drennan enlisted in Belfast and he served with the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers. Wounded in action, he was 18 when he died of his wounds on Saturday 14 April 1917.
Private James Arthur Drennan (No. 22820) was buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, France and there is an inscription on his CWGC headstone:
THY WILL BE DONE
Private James Arthur Drennan is commemorated on Donaghadee and District War Memorial (Millisle District) and in Millisle Presbyterian Church.