Pte 93359 Stephen Clancy

Stephen Clancy was born in Sligo, County Sligo, Ireland, in 1894, the son of Patrick Clancy and Catherine, known as Kate (online family trees show maiden name McGowan).  His parents were both born in Sligo and married in about 1881. They had nine children, seven of whom are found on censuses. Stephen had older siblings John, Mary, and Bridget, and younger siblings Norah, Julia, and Michael.  The family is Roman Catholic.

In 1901 the family is living in High Street, west side, Sligo, with six children and four boarders. His father Patrick, 50, is a general labourer, cannot read, his mother Kate is 45, can read and write, Stephen is six.

In 1911 their address is House 2, High Street, west side, Sligo, with five children and eight boarders. His father is a general labourer.  They report only five of their children are still living (apparently older siblings John and Mary have died). Bridget is 23, no occupation, Stephen is 16, a cabinet maker, Norah, 15, Julia 11, and Michael, 9, are at school.

Stephen enlisted in Boyle, County Roscommon as Driver T/4/086274 Army Service Corps, (based on the amount of the War Gratuity, he enlisted in about March 1915). He was transferred to 14th Bn King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 93359, although it is not known when. The 14th K.L.R. shipped to France in September 1915.  In October they entrained for Marseilles and embarked for Salonika on the 27th. In 1916 the battalion fought in the the Battles of Horseshoe Hill and Machukovo, and in the Battles of Doiran in 1917.  The battalion returned to France via Italy in June 1918.  In August they were absorbed by the 18th K.L.R., becoming the 18th (Lancashire Hussars) King’s (Liverpool) Regiment. 

On 7th October the battalion moved up to the Hindenburg Line near Bony and attacked at Ruemont, incurring casualties.  

He was killed in action on the 20th October 1918 aged 24 during the hundred days offensive which ended the First World War (8th August-11th November 1918).  

He now rests at Le Cateau Military Cemetery, France.

Le Cateau-Cambrésis and the country to the west of it was the scene of a battle fought by the British II Corps on 26 August 1914 against a greatly superior German force. The town remained in German hands from that date until the evening of 10 October 1918, when it was rushed by the 5th Connaught Rangers and finally cleared a week later. During the war Le Cateau had been a German railhead and the site of an important hospital centre. The military cemetery was laid out by the Germans in February 1916 with separate plots for the Commonwealth and German dead. It contains the graves of over 5,000 German soldiers, many of whom were buried during the occupation, the rest being brought in from other German cemeteries after the Armistice. A separate plot contains the graves of 34 Russian prisoners of war who died in captivity. The Commonwealth plot is the site of almost 700 graves and commemorations of the First World War. The majority of the graves in Plots I, III, IV and V are those of British dead buried by the Germans, mainly from the battleground of 1914; Plot II contains entirely graves of October and November 1918, eight of which were brought in after the Armistice.

His parents, at 21 High Street, Sligo, received Stephen’s effects, including a War Gratuity of £20-10s and a War Pension. 

Stephen earned the British War Medal and Victory Medal but sadly they were returned in 1923. His father had died in 1922 aged 84, perhaps his mother had moved away.  His mother died in 1935.

Stephen is remembered on his parents’ gravestone in Killery Graveyard, Ballintogher, Sligo, and he is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Ireland’s National Roll of Honour 

Sligo Great War Memorial Garden

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