William John Campbell was the son of William and Ellen Campbell. He was born in Cookstown on 19th May 1894. He was the youngest of six children. The family lived in Killymoon Street and latterly in Blue Doors in Killymoon Demesne, Cookstown. His father and mother were mill and factory workers. William was wounded in May 1916. Lance Corporal William John Campbell was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles when he was killed in action on the Saturday 1st July 1916 on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Further Information
The census results are being linked to L/Corporal William Campbell because the newspaper report states his father was William and they lived in Blue Doors, which is in Killymoon Demesne. This is the only father/son matching in the area.
William John Campbell was the youngest child of William and Ellen Campbell. William Campbell married Ellen Knipe on 14th August 1886 in Cookstown.
William was born in Cookstown on 19th May 1894. He was the youngest of six children, five surviving.
Family: William Campbell, Ellen Campbell, Annie / Nancy Campbell (born 12th December 1886), Ellen Campbell (born 19th March 1888, died 5th October 1896, age 8), Letitia Campbell (born 19th February 1890), Matilda Campbell (born 25th June 1891), Thomas Campbell (born 7th June 1893), William Campbell (born 19th May 1894).
The 1901 census lists William as age 6, living with the family at house 25 in Killymoon Street, Cookstown. His father and mother were mill and factory workers.
The 1911 census lists William as age 16, living with the family at house 9 in Killymoon Demesne, Cookstown Rural. William was working as a painter’s apprentice. His father was a yarn bundler.
William enlisted with the Royal Irish Rifles in Belfast.
William’s older brother Thomas also served. Thomas was injured at Gallipoli.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 25th September 1915: The Brothers Timoney, Loy Street, Cookstown
Intimation has been received from the Infantry Record Office, Dublin, that his brother, Thomas Timoney, of the same battalion, is ill and has been admitted to the First Canadian Stationary Hospital suffering from dysentery. In a letter dated 3rd September, however, he writes to his father that he need not worry about him as he thinks he will be all right and is getting on well. He does not want anything sent to him as he gets all he wants. He adds:- ‘Brown and Tommy Campbell are shot, poor fellows, and Charles Coey is wounded. Our Division has made a good name for itself, especially the 16th Battalion, as they were all brave men, all of them. The Turks ran away from us pretty fast.’ The Brown referred to is, we understand, John Brown, who belongs to South Derry, and was employed by William J Henry, Cloghog, at the time he joined the Army. Tommy Campbell is a son of Mr William Campbell, the Blue Doors, Cookstown. He was in the employment of Messrs Adair’s before enlistment. His parents have not yet had any intimation that he is in the casualty list.
Private William Campbell was wounded in May 1916.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 19th May 1916: Wounded
16296 Private W Campbell, son of Mr William Campbell, Blue Doors, Cookstown.
Lance Corporal William John Campbell was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles when he was killed in action on the Saturday 1st July 1916 on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Lance Corporal William John Campbell has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
