Monks, John
Sergeant
No. 6339, 7th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Thursday 16 August 1917 (aged 31)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium (Panel 138 to 140 & 162 to 162A & 163A)
Newtownards and District War Memorial (as Monks, James)
BIOGRAPHY:
John Monks was born on 11 August 1886 at Musheerabad, India and he was a son of Francis (Frank) and Margaret Monks (nee McGrath) who were married on 19 April 1874 in Fermoy Roman Catholic Church, Co Cork. Frank Monks was a career soldier and he and Margaret had six children:
Francis (born 21 May 1875 at Princes Street, Fermoy; baptised 23 May 1875 at Fermoy; his father was serving in India)
Elizabeth Mary (born 16 November 1877, baptised 28 November 1877 at Deesa, Bombay, India; died of convulsions 5 September 1878 at Deesa, Bombay, India)
Mary Anne (born 18 August 1879 in India)
Thomas (born 13 November 1881 at Belgaun, India baptised 27 November 1881)
Mary Margaret Ellen (born 17 August 1884, baptised 31 August 1884 at Neemuch Roman Catholic Chapel, India)
John (born 11 August 1886 at Musheerabad, India)
Frank Monks (No. 11129) served with the Royal Artillery in India, and he died on 13 July 1889 (aged 40). He was buried on 14 July 1889 in St Patrick’s Graveyard, Karachi, India.
Frank Monks’ widow, Margaret, and her surviving children, returned home to Fermoy, Co. Cork.
Margaret Monks (nee McGrath) and John Deary were married on 26 April 1892 in Fermoy Roman Catholic Church, and they had two children:
Elizabeth Josephine (born 28 February 1893 at Barrack Hill, Fermoy, Co Cork)
William Augustus (born 29 July 1895 in England)
John Deary was a career soldier and he served in South Africa and India with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles (No. 1049). He was discharged from the Army on 30 September 1904 when he was deemed to be medically unfit for further service. Ex-Sergeant John Deary, late of 25 Mount Pleasant Buildings, Rathmines, Dublin, died of pulmonary tuberculosis at the Royal City of Dublin Hospital on 23 October 1910 (aged 48). He was described as a porter in Elvery’s, late Sergeant 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.
In 1911 Margaret Deary (formerly Monks, nee McGrath) was living at 25 Mount Pleasant Buildings with two of her children, Elizabeth Deary (aged 18), born in Co Cork, and William Deary (aged 15), born in England.
Margaret Deary (formerly Monks, nee McGrath) died of cardiac disease at 25 Mount Pleasant Buildings on 20 March 1929 (aged 67). She was described as the widow of a porter
After coming to Ireland from India, John Monks lived with his mother in Co Cork. Later he lived for a time in Kinnegad, Co Westmeath and he enlisted in Londonderry.
Like his father, John Monks was a career soldier and on Sunday 2 April 1911 it was noted that he was a Lance Sergeant living in Barracks.
John Monks and Annie Hackett (born Rhode, Co Offaly) were married on 14 October 1914 in Blackrock Roman Catholic Church, Rathdown, Co Dublin. At the time John Monks was stationed in Palace Barracks, Holywood. Annie Hackett from Seapoint, Blackrock was a daughter of James Hackett, a farmer.
John and Annie Monks (nee Hackett) had two children:
Margaret Teresa (Peggy, born 23 September 1915 at Marquis Street, Newtownards; married Conor Gilligan)
Annie Frances (born 16 January 1918 in Newtownards; married William Kelleher)
Annie was born five months after her father was killed.
Sergeant John Monks made his will on 29 May 1917, and he left all his property and effects to his wife Annie who at that time was living at 11 Marquis Street, Newtownards.
Sergeant John Monks (No. 6339) was 31 when he was killed in action on 16 August 1917, the first day of the Battle of Langemarck. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium and on Newtownards and District War Memorial (as James Monks).
After Sergeant John Monks died his widow Annie moved to Croghan, Daingean, Co Offaly where she died on 3 July 1958.