Montgomery, Thomas
Private
No. 18/1533, 11th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, transferred to
No. 42345, 1st Battalion, Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
Died of wounds on Tuesday 1 October 1918 (aged 21)
Buried:
Dadizeele New British Cemetery, Belgium (Grave II. D. 3)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Bangor and District War Memorial
Royal British Legion (Bangor Branch) Memorial Plaque
Comrades of the Great War (Bangor Branch) Album in North Down Museum
Conlig Orange Hall
Conlig Presbyterian Church
Brother of Sergeant John Montgomery (No. 29028)
BIOGRAPHY
Thomas Montgomery was born on 12 February 1897 in Conlig and he was a son of John and Margaret (Maggie) Montgomery (nee Nelson) who were married on 22 January 1883 in Great Victoria Street Presbyterian Church Belfast. John Montgomery from Ballymacarrett, Belfast was a son of Joseph Montgomery, an engine driver. Margaret Nelson from Conlig was a daughter of Robert Nelson, a labourer.
The Montgomery family lived in Barrows House, Main Road, Conlig.
John Montgomery worked as a general labourer and he and Margaret had ten children:
Elizabeth (born 15 July 1883 in Conlig)
Robert (born 20 December 1884 in Conlig)
John (born 19 October 1886 in Conlig)
Joseph (born 11 November 1889 in Conlig)
Hugh (born 17 April 1892 in Conlig)
William (born 16 October 1894 in Conlig)
Thomas (born 12 February 1897 in Conlig)
Barbara Agnes (born 27 January 1899 in Conlig)
Margaret (born 31 March 1901 in Conlig)
Alice (born 29 August 1905)
Thomas Montgomery enlisted at Clandeboye on 21 August 1916 and he joined the 18th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. Private Thomas Montgomery (No. 18/1533) went to France on 13 December 1916 and was stationed in the Base Depot of the 36th (Ulster) Division before being posted to ‘C’ Company of the 11th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.
Private Thomas Montgomery (No. 18/1533) was hospitalised on 22 August 1917 and then transferred to the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Private Thomas Montgomery (No. 18/1533) was 21 when he died of wounds on 1 October 1918 and he was buried in Dadizeele New British Cemetery, Belgium.
Private Thomas Montgomery (No. 18/1533) is commemorated on Bangor and District War Memorial; on the Royal British Legion (Bangor Branch) Memorial Plaque; in the Comrades of the Great War (Bangor Branch) Album in North Down Museum; in Conlig Orange Hall and in Conlig Presbyterian Church.
Private Thomas Montgomery’s father John died on 12 June 1923 (aged 62) and his mother Margaret died on 19 January 1947 (aged 83). Both were buried in Bangor Cemetery, Newtownards Road, Bangor and two of their sons are also commemorated on the headstone – Hugh who died on 19 May 1925 (aged 32) and Robert who died on 9 August 1950 (aged 65).