A Shattered Life: The Children of Prince Albert’s English Family

This is the 14th column in a series of 70 British home children sent to St. Patrick’s Catholic Orphanage in Prince Albert between 1901 and 1907. All orphanage records were destroyed in a terrible fire in 1947, but every attempt was made to trace them.Life stories of these confiscated children through genealogy websites and newspaper databases

John Joseph McDonough: The Man Who Enlisted Three Times

“What these boys did was very brave and I am in awe of them every day, always. They put on Canadian uniforms and returned to the country that sent them.” They went home, they defended their land, they defended the liberty of those who used them as slaves, they gave everything when they were given nothing, they have no reason to fight. But they still stood by us, they died for us.”

• Jennifer Lane, Senior Research Fellow, British Home Children Advocacy and Research
  The Society’s World War I Project

John Joseph McDonough* (1890-1918) enlisted three times because he wanted to serve in World War I. Every time his certificate recorded a slight change in his name, and every time he had to be vaccinated for typhoid fever (plus two booster shots every round)!

John was born on October 24, 1890 in Shoeburyness, South Essex, England. His father Michael William McDonough (1847-1897) was a gunner in the British Royal Army who died at Dover, Kent in July 1897. His mother Sarah (Worker) McDonough (1853-1934) was entrusted with the care of six children.

In 1901, Sarah, her children, and two grandchildren (born out of wedlock to her eldest daughter Laura) boarded with Harry Goodwin, where Sarah worked as a housekeeper. She also worked as a midwife, but faced serious legal trouble that year when her month-old baby died of malnutrition. According to the Dover Express, Sarah was sentenced to six weeks of hard labor on 26 December 1901 for neglecting her child.

It is not certain when Sarah sent her son, John Joseph, but before boarding the Tunisians from Liverpool to St. I was in the Salesian school in Battersea, province. he was 13 years old. Four years later, his family sent John Joseph’s niece, Laura’s daughter, Georgina (1898-1993), to the same orphanage in Canada. she was 7 years old.

Like many other young men who enlisted in the army during World War I, McDonough may have sought a way to overcome the stigma of being a home child in Britain and be accepted.

“Joining the fight gave them a cause, a band of brothers,” writes Carrie Turansky, author of the novel A Journey Too Far (2021). Their family is on their way to and from the front. ”

McDonaugh filled in his mother’s name and address in Dover, England, on each of the three certificates.

His first enlistment took place at Prince Albert on January 18, 1915. His certificate records his name as “John Joseph Michael McDonough”. His service number he was A-40725. His regiment was the 53rd Battalion. He is described as being 5 feet 5 inches tall, with dark blue eyes and coarse brown hair, and a tattoo on his left forearm.

In September 1915, McDonough was on AWL. He was discharged the following month at Camp Hughes, Manitoba, and his military career was marked with a note in red ink that read: He is unlikely to be a capable soldier.”

McDonough wasted no time in re-engaging with the military. He headed for Moose Jaw, where he enlisted on October 26, 1915, just 16 days after being discharged in Manitoba.

“John Michael McDonough” was 5 feet 5 inches tall with gray eyes and light brown hair. His tattoo was not mentioned, but a scar on his left side from a ruptured hernia was listed on his certificate, and his service number was 781205. He served first with the 68th Battalion and then with the 128th Battalion.

Things seemed to go well for McDonough during his first few months in the Canadian Army. He was promoted to first lieutenant at the beginning of his 1916, and then to corporal, but in June of that year he was reinstated to private and at the Winnipeg Clearing he was transferred to the depot. Then for some reason he escaped. He lost his power on January 26, 1917.

Perhaps the reason for McDonough’s desertion had to do with his wife and young son returning to Saskatchewan.

The McDonough family moved to Regina and enlisted for the third time on 22 January 1917 as “John Joseph McDonough”, service number 1069379. His height he was 5 feet 4.5 inches. He had blue eyes and brown hair. His scars and tattoos are not listed. McDonough initially served with the 249th Battalion. On 10 May 1918 he was assigned to the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifle Battalion.

John Joseph McDonough sailed abroad from Halifax on February 18, 1918. He was killed in action by German machine gun fire on August 26, 1918, while he was participating in the Second Battle of Arras, near the village of Montchy-le-Preeux, in the department of Pas. . do curry. He is buried in Dury Cross Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France, Lot 2, Row A, Tomb 44.

I do not know if McDonough visited his mother Sarah while in England. In 1907 Prince She arrived at St. Patrick’s Orphanage in Albert Her niece Georgina attended normal school in Saskatoon and in 1915 she became a teacher at a rural school near Watson. . Georgina married farmer John Hinderks in 1920, and she adopted one daughter, Blanche. She died in Saskatoon on December 12, 1993 at the age of 94.

*Alternative spellings: McDonagh, McDonogh, McDonough

Thanks to Cynthia McDonagh for her help in preparing this article.