John Long

Keogh has him born in Roscommon and serving in Connaught Rangers. Casement has him as a builders labourer before enlisting. Mahoney puts him as J Long of Royal Irish Rifles. But Roll Book gives this service number and R Irish Regt

Roll Book gives him as John Long 8779 in Royal Irish Regt. His service record survives and confirms that he was in Irish Brigade

1882 Apr 21. Roll Book gives him as John Long aged 32 (so born circa 1882) in Inchigeelagh, Co Cork. His service record indicates he was born in Parish Kilmichael.

1905 Oct 21. He attested at Pontypool, and was a General Labourer. His next of kin is his mother at 29 Millerd St, Cork. Thare was some medical discussion about the state of his teeth, and he was nearly rejected.

1906 Nov 20 Posted to India

1913 Jan 3. Returns to Ireland.

1914 Aug 13. Arrives in France. Taken prisoner and internted in Limburg, Zossen and Danzig as the other Casement men.

1915 Jan 10 Discovered to be POW at Limburg. His mother informed

1915 Oct 25. In answer to a question, gave his Ireland address as Inchigella Village, Macroom, Cork

1916 Jan Volunteered for service in Egypt

1917 Jan 14. Hahn to St J Gaffney. Reports that there are 29 men in the camp and that he hopes to send the 8 men away soon. He mentions debts of Fulford, McCabe, P Carr and Long, and asks Gaffney to settle them directly with the Camp Commandant.

1918 Aug 23 War Office asks for his records - so they knew he was an Irish Brigade man

1919 Jan 5. Returns to UK from Germany

1919 Apr 4. Discharged on health grounds with Blepharitis, which is an ocular condition characterized by chronic inflammation of the eyelid, the severity of which can vary. Onset can be acute, resolving without treatment within 2–4 weeks (this can be greatly reduced with lid hygiene), but more generally is a long standing inflammation varying in severity.

1919 Aug 8. No further action by army, they accepted that he had no intention of being disloyal, and his discharge would not be" for misconduct"

 

Recruits to Irish Brigade