McMullan, Edward
Private
No. 2601, Royal Irish Regiment transferred to
No. 21947, 8th Battalion, Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
Died of wounds on Tuesday 25 April 1916 (aged 24)
Buried:
Vermelles British Cemetery, France (Sp. Mem. 6)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
BIOGRAPHY
Edward McMullan was born on 5 March 1892 in Portaferry and he was a son of Richard and Sarah Jane McMullan (formerly Moore, nee Kearney, sometimes Carney).
The McMullan family lived in Shore Street, Portaferry.
Richard McMullan was a sailor and he and Sarah had eleven children, all of whom were baptised in Portaferry Roman Catholic Church:
Sarah (a twin, born 2.00 pm 27 May 1884 in Portaferry)
Elizabeth Anne (Eliza, a twin, born 3.00 pm 27 May 1884 in Portaferry; died of peritonitis 17 November 1885)
Jane (Jinnie, born 3 September 1885 in Portaferry)
Thomas John (born 1 November 1887 in Portaferry)
Richard (born 2 November 1889 in Portaferry)
Edward (born 5 March 1892 in Portaferry)
Catherine (Kate, born 10 November 1894 in Portaferry)
Ellen (Nellie, born 1 November 1897 in Portaferry)
James (born 20 April 1900 in Portaferry)
Hugh (born 6 February 1903 in Shore Street, Portaferry)
Elizabeth Anne (born 1 February 1905 in Shore Street, Portaferry)
Before the Great War Edward McMullan worked as a fisherman and he was a member of the National Volunteers, Portaferry Company, 1st Battalion, East Down Regiment. It was reported in the Press that he was ‘one of the first of the company to join after Mr Redmond’s appeal’.
Edward McMullan enlisted in Belfast and served with the Royal Irish Regiment (No. 2601) before being transferred to the 8th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers in 49th Brigade of the 16th (Irish) Division.
Private Edward McMullan (No. 21947) died of wounds on 25 April 1916 and it was reported in the 29 April 1916 edition of the Newtownards Chronicle that he had been commended for ‘gallant conduct and devotion to duty in the field on 10 April 1916’ by W.B. Hickie, Major-General Commanding, 16th (Irish) Division.
Major-General Hickie ordered Private Edward McMullan’s name and deed to be entered in the record of the 16th (Irish) Division.
Private Edward McMullan (No. 21947) was buried in Vermelles British Cemetery, France.