Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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Updates for Private Edward McGeown
Date Information
01/05/2020 02198
25/08/2018 Private McGeown, who was only twenty years old, was very popular in Cookstown and well-known as a footballer, being a member of Blackburn Football Club. He was of a cheerful disposition, and filled with the spirit of loyalty and patriotism for the Empire. Much sympathy is felt for his parents and other relatives in their bereavement. An older brother, who was in a Derbyshire Regiment, and who went through the Boer war unscathed, died later at Singapore as a result of sunstroke.
25/08/2018 Mr James McGeown, Killymoon Street, Cookstown, has received intimation from the War Office that his son, Private Edward McGeown, 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, has been killed in action at the Dardanelles. A little over two years ago the deceased enlisted in the 4th Hussars, but after a year’s service, he was operated on for appendicitis, and being considered unfit for a cavalry unit, and refusing to transfer to a foot regiment, he was discharged. At the outbreak of the war however, he re-enlisted in the Inniskillings, and only a few weeks ago went out with a draft from Londonderry. His parents received a letter from him about ten days ago, a cheerful, encouraging and loving letter, in which he said:- ‘We have not done any fighting yet, but by all appearances it won’t be very long now. We are all ready to face the music and the men are all in the best of health.’
25/08/2018
25/08/2018 From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 29th May 1915: Private Edward McGeown
14/03/2018 The CWGC record Private Edward McGeown as the son of James and Mary Jane McGeown of 27 Milfort Avenue, Dunmurry, County Antrim.
30/12/2015 Family: James McGeown, Mary Jane McGeown, Robert McGeown (born 9th November 1891), Margaret McGeown (born about 1892), Edward McGeown (born 15th October 1895), Kenneth McGeown (born 11th June 1897), David McGeown (born 1st September 1899).
30/12/2015 In 1913 Edward enlisted with the 4th Hussars.
30/12/2015 Private McGeown had an older brother who had served in a Derbyshire Regiment and had gone through the Boer War without a scratch, and who was to die later in Singapore as a result of sunstroke.
30/12/2015 Just before Edward was killed, his parents received a letter from him in which he said:
30/12/2015 “We have not done any fighting yet, but by all appearances it won’t be very long now. We are all ready to face the music and the men are all in the best of health.”
30/12/2015 Edward McGeown is commemorated on Cookstown Cenotaph and St. Luran’s Church of Ireland Roll of Honour, Derryloran, Cookstown.
30/12/2015 Edward is also commemorated in St Colemans Church of Ireland, Dunmurry.
30/12/2015 Edward McGeown went to Friends School Lisburn
30/12/2015
30/12/2015 This inscription photo was taken by the Friends of the Somme Mid Ulster Branch on a visit to Gallipoli in September 2014.
30/12/2015 Edward McGeown was the son of James and Mary Jane McGeown (nee Lindsay). Edward was born in Derryloran, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone on 15th October 1895.
30/12/2015 The 1911 census lists Edward as 15 years old. He was still living with the family in Killymoon Street. Edward had left school and was working as a labourer in a timber yard.
30/12/2015 After one year of service he underwent surgery for appendicitis. He was subsequently considered unfit for cavalry work and, refusing to transfer to a foot regiment, he was discharged.
30/12/2015 Edward McGeown re-enlisted with the Inniskillings in Cookstown at the outbreak of war and was sent to the Gallipoli Peninsula.
30/12/2015 Private Edward McGeown was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action during the first Battle of Krithia on 28th April 1915, just a few days after landing on the Peninsula. He was 20 years old.
30/12/2015 Private McGeown has no known grave and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial at Gallipoli in Turkey.
30/12/2015 The 1901 census lists lists Edward as 5 years old, living with the family at house 4 in Killymoon Street, Cookstown. James McGeown was a barber and Mary Jane McGeown was a linen weaver. Mary Jane’s mother, Jane Lindsay, lived with the family.
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