Ref ID: 2819
Name
George Swain
Description
Lance Corporal George Swain.
Life Story
Name: George Swain.
Service Number: 948.
Rank: Lance Corporal.
Battalion: 9th Battalion.
Regiment: Royal Irish Rifles.
Born: 2nd July 1892, Shankill, Belfast, County Antrim.
Died: 1st of July 1916
Address: 20 Urney Street, Belfast
.
Ulster Volunteer George Swain, son of George and Annie Swain, lived with his wife Mary Jane and son at 20 Urney Street, Shankill Road, Belfast.
The 1901 Ireland Census has George ling at 164 Cupar Street, Greater Shankill, Belfast with his father, occupation, Labourer, mother, House Keeper, three brothers, Thomas, 7 years, Samuel, 6 years, and Edward, 2 years, and his sister, Mary Eliza, 10 years.
The 1911 Ireland Census has George living at 1 Urney Street, Shankill Road, Belfast with his mother, three brothers, Thomas, Factory Hand at Foundry, Samuel, Machine Hand at Factory, and Edward, his sister, Mary Eliza Hill, Ruler at Spinning Mill, and Brother In Law, Samuel Hill, 23 years, Machine Hand. George occupation at this time is given as Machine Hand at Factory.
George and Mary Jane Swain, Nee McDowell, married on the 25th December 1912 and they went on to have a son, George on the 13th of March 1914.
George was a member of the West Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force.
George joined the Royal Irish Rifles.
He was posted as part of the British Expeditionary Force to France on the 4th of October 1915.
George Swain was a Lance Corporal in 9th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles when he was Killed In Action on the 1st of July 1916 in France aged 23 years.
In fact it was sadly one day before Georges 24th birthday.
Local newspapers state.
Rifleman George Swain, West Belfast Volunteers, Killed, worked at the Queens Island before the war. Deceased, who was a member of the Orange Institution, leaves a wife and child, who reside at 20 Urney Street.
George Soldiers Effects were left to his wife Mary Jane.
A Dependant Pension Application Form shows his widow Mary Jane, born 14th of October 1888, now remarried on the 19th November 1920 to Robert Grogan, and their son George, as claimants.
See his brothers also: 24811 Private Samuel Swain 9th Battalion Machine Gun Corps, Killed 17th August 1917, and 4036 Rifleman Edward Swain.
George received the British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914-1915 Star.
He is Remembered at Connaught Cemetery, Thiepval, France.
To Remember Is To Honour
.
Theme
Shankill Roll of Honour
Date
0
Classification
Certificate/Permit,
Certificate/Permit,
Certificate/Permit
