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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

John Connolly

In memory of:

Sergeant John Connolly

November 15, 1917
Belgium

Military Service


Service Number:

478055

Age:

27

Force:

Army

Unit:

The Royal Canadian Regiment

Citation(s):

British War Medal, Victory Medal.

Honours and Awards:

Military Medal

Additional Information


Born:

June 11, 1890
Liverpool, England

Enlistment:

October 5, 1915
Shorncliffe, England

Son of Joseph and Margaret Connolly. Spouse Grace Connolly of Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Brother in law of Private Archibald Flemming Smith who died on May 26, 1916 while serving with Canadian Infantry (Quebec Regiment).

Commemorated on Page 219 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:
Grave Reference:

Panel 10

Location:


The Menin Gate Memorial is situated at the eastern side of the town of Ypres (now Ieper) in the Province of West Flanders, on the road to Menin and Courtrai. It bears the names of 55,000 men who were lost without trace during the defence of the Ypres Salient in the First World War. Designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and erected by the Imperial (now Commonwealth) War Graves Commission, it consists of a Hall of Memory", 36.6 metres long by 20.1 metres wide. In the centre are broad staircases leading to the ramparts which overlook the moat, and to pillared loggias which run the whole length of the structure. On the inner walls of the Hall, on the side of the staircases and on the walls of the loggias, panels of Portland stone bear the names of the dead, inscribed by regiment and corps. Carved in stone above the central arch are the words:


TO THE ARMIES OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE WHO STOOD HERE FROM 1914 TO 1918 AND TO THOSE OF THEIR DEAD WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE.

Over the two staircases leading from the main Hall is the inscription:

HERE ARE RECORDED NAMES OF OFFICERS AND MEN WHO FELL IN YPRES SALIENT BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED THE KNOWN AND HONOURED BURIAL GIVEN TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH.

The dead are remembered to this day in a simple ceremony that takes place every evening at 8:00 p.m. All traffic through the gateway in either direction is halted, and two buglers (on special occasions four) move to the centre of the Hall and sound the Last Post. Two silver trumpets for use in the ceremony are a gift to the Ypres Last Post Committee by an officer of the Royal Canadian Artillery, who served with the 10th Battery, of St. Catharines, Ontario, in Ypres in April 1915."

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Circumstances of Death Registers– Source: Library and Archives Canada.  CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH REGISTERS, FIRST WORLD WAR Surnames:  CLEAL TO CONNOLLY.  Microform Sequence 21; Volume Number 31829_B016730. Reference RG150, 1992-93/314, 165.  Page 1365 of 1384.
  • Menin Gate Memorial– Menin Gate - August 2012 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Inscription– Panel 10 of the Menin Gate - August 2012 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Inscription– Inscription on the Menin Gate - August 2012 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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