Pte 36935 Michael Lynch

• Age: 32
• From: Goulane, Co. Cork
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 28th March 1918
• Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
  Panel Ref: P21-23

Michael Lynch was born on the 07th February 1885 in Goulane, County Cork, the son of John Lynch and his wife Julia (nee Walsh). He was baptised the next day on the 08th February 1885 at the Roman Catholic Parish Church, Castlegregory.

The 1901 Census taken on 31st March 1901 at 12 Coolinagh, Murragh, Cork finds 16 year old, letter carrier, Michael living with his parents and siblings. His father, John, is 76 years of age, a retired school teacher, and his mother, Julia, is 60. Also listed are his siblings are; Margaret aged 39, Thomas aged 32 and Hanora aged 21. 

A Shipping List shows him as a stowaway with David Farmer on S.S Cedric sailing from Liverpool to New York on 02nd Sept 1904. The immigration forms completed at Ellis Island on 12th September 1904 show that Michael declared himself to be 19 years of age and an Irish national. He gave the address of a friend, Miss Elsie Burke 372 W. 49th St. 

There is also a record for a Michael Lynch entering the USA at Boston on 06th October 1910, having travelled upon the Cunard ship Saxonia.  

The 1911 Census taken at 12 Coolinagh, Murragh, Cork shows his parents still in the household alongside Thomas and Nora. Michael is not listed and could well have still been resident in the United States.

Michael enlisted at Seaforth, Liverpool and was serving in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 36935.

He was reported as wounded 23rd October 1917 in the press in his hometown of Enniskean (County Cork).

Michael was killed in action on the 28^th March, 1918 aged 32 during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion diary gives an insight into the events of the day:

28^th March 1918

FOLIES – MEZIERES – ROUVREL

10.00am Enemy attacked our immediate front but was driven off – Half an hour later enemy was seen in large numbers through ROUVROY to WARVILLERS. About 11 am orders were received that the Battalion would be relieved by 133^rd French Division. The relief was carried out shortly after noon, after a message had been received by telephone that the French were satisfied with the position and that we were to withdraw at once.  

4pm The enemy were then in BEAUFORT. The Battalion assembled at MEZIERES and marched to ROUVREL to billets arriving about 6.30pm.

He was listed as missing in the Weekly Casualty List on 28th May 1918:

- King's (Liverpool Regiment) Lynch 36935 M. (Inniskeen);

Michael's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

Soldiers Effects to sister Nora, Pension to mother Julia

We currently have no further information on Michael Lynch, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.