Lynas, Hugh
Private
No. 27169, 10th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Killed in action on Thursday 16 August 1917 (aged 34)
Buried:
White House Cemetery, Belgium (Grave III. B. 10)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour
BIOGRAPHY
Hugh Lynas was born on 14 November 1882 in Abbey Street, Bangor and he was a son of Hugh and Jane Lynas (nee Donnan, sometimes Dunn, sometimes Donagh) who were married on 10 April 1878 in Kilmore Parish Church of Ireland Church, County Armagh.
Hugh Lynas Senior worked as a sailor, then as a general labourer and then as a labourer in the shipyard after the Lynas family moved from Bangor to Belfast.
The Lynas family lived in Main Street and Abbey Street, Bangor and then in Belfast in Newcastle Street, Armitage Street and Dee Street.
Hugh and Jane Lynas (nee Donnan,) had at least nine children including:
William (born 24 October 1878 in Main Street, Bangor)
John Donnan (born 13 January 1881 in Abbey Street, Bangor)
Hugh (born 14 November 1882 in Abbey Street, Bangor)
Francis James Donnan (born 14 March 1885 in Abbey Street, Bangor)
Mary Donnan (born 10 March 1887 in Abbey Street, Bangor)
Henry Coffin (Harry, born 19 August 1891 in Abbey Street, Bangor)
Jane (born 29 March 1894 in Newcastle Street, Belfast)
Catherine Adair Hurst Hutton (Kate, born 5 July 1898 at 106 Newcastle Street, Belfast)
At least six of the children, including Hugh, were baptised in Bangor Parish Church of Ireland Church.
Hugh’s brother, John Donnan Lynas, worked as a holder-up in the shipyard and he was accidentally killed on 8 February 1910 (aged 29) in Queen’s Island. He died of shock following fracture of the skull and laceration of the brain caused by iron plates accidentally falling on him while at work. John Lynas and Mary Ellen Magill had been married on 26 September 1900 in Belmont Presbyterian Church
Hugh Lynas Junior worked as a barman and he and Mary (Minnie) Rea were married on 23 November 1904 in St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Church, Ballymacarrett. They had at least six children:
Jane (born 29 January 1906 at 15 Hart Street, Belfast)
Hugh (born 29 August 1907)
Francis Henry (born 22 July 1911 at 4 Welland Street, Belfast)
John (born 10 July 1912 at 81 Tamar Street, Belfast)
Eleanor (born 10 August 1914 at 48 Welland Street, Belfast)
Catherine (born 12 May 1916)
Hugh Lynas enlisted in Belfast and he served with the 10th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in 109th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division.
Private Hugh Lynas was 34 when he was killed in action on 16 August 1917 at the Battle of Langemarck and he was buried in White House Cemetery, Belgium. There is an inscription on his CWGC headstone:
CALLED TO HIGHER SERVICE
At the time of Hugh’s death his wife Mary was living at 48 Welland Street, Connswater in Belfast.
Private Hugh Lynas is commemorated in the Belfast Book of Honour (page 349).