Majury, William John (William) (served as McJury, William John)
Rifleman
No. 7165, 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Died of wounds on Friday 18 December 1914 (aged 21)
Buried:
Bailleul Communal Cemetery (Nord), France (Grave E. 13)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Newtownards and District War Memorial
Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) Roll of Honour 1914 – 1919 for
Dundonald Presbyterian Church
BIOGRAPHY
In some records his surname is spelt McJury and in others McJurey.
William John Majury was born on 7 October 1893 in the townland of Greengraves, Newtownards and in civil birth registration records his name is recorded as ‘John McJurey’.
William John Majury was a son of William J and Jane Majury (nee Wilson) who were married on 19 May 1893 in Dundonald Presbyterian Church. William McJury was a son of Hans McJury, a labourer. Jane Wilson from Ballyregan was a daughter of William Wilson, a labourer.
The Majury family lived in the townlands of Greengraves and Killarn, Newtownards.
William J Majury worked as a labourer and he and Jane had at least seven children:
John (born 7 October 1893; later he became known as ‘William John’)
James (born 7 May 1895 in Greengraves)
Robert (born 28 October 1896 in Greengraves)
Hans (born 2 April 1898 in Greengraves)
Francis Moore (born 6 January 1900 in Killarn)
Edward Henry (born 21 September 1905 in Killarn)
George Arthur (born 28 June 1907 in Killarn)
William John Majury enlisted in Newtownards and he served with the 4th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (Royal North Downs) and then the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. Rifleman William John Majury was 21 when he died of wounds on 18 December 1914 in a Casualty Clearance Station at Bailleul. He was buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery.
William John Majury had been a member of the Purple Vine Loyal Orange Lodge (LOL) No. 1056 in Dundonald and, after he died, there were two Killed in Action notices in the Newtownards Chronicle – one placed by his father, mother and brothers and one placed by George Wightman (Worshipful Master) and Charles McIlwaine (Secretary) on behalf of the Lodge. In subsequent years his father, mother and brothers placed Our Heroes – In Memoriam notices in the Newtownards Chronicle.
Rifleman William John Majury is commemorated on Newtownards and District War Memorial and in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) Roll of Honour 1914 – 1919 for Dundonald Presbyterian Church.