Monks, John
Sergeant
No. 6339, 7th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Thursday 16 August 1917 (aged 34)
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 around 1883 in Musheerabad, India and he was a son of Frank and Margaret Monks. Frank Monks was a career soldier
John Monks 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 in 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 of 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 34 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.