Ref ID: 8031
Name
William James Keenan.
Description
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Certificate relating to Private William James Keenan.
Life Story
Name: William James Keenan.
Service Number: 25598.
Rank: Private.
Battalion: 14th Battalion.
Regiment: Canadian Infantry.
Born: 10th September 1879, Belfast.
Died: 17th April 1915.
Address: 25 Shankill Road, Belfast
.
William James Keenan, son of Josiah and Mary Ann Keenan, had lived at 25 Shankill Road, Belfast
.
The 1901 Ireland Census has Williams family living at 11 Shankill Road, Belfast.
.
William James Keenan's wife's address is given 35 Hutchinson Street, Montreal within documents, though SASH cannot establish when James and Elizabeth went to Canada.
.
Prior to Williams enlistment his occupation is given as Book Keeper
.
William joined the Canadian Grenadier Guards at Valcartier on the 13th August 1914.
He was then transferred to the 14th Canadian Infantry on the 22nd September 1914.
William set off from Quebec aboard the S.S. Andania on the 4th October 1914.
He was then posted as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force to France.
William was a Private in 14th Battalion Canadian Infantry when he was Killed In Action in France on the 17th of April 1915 aged 35 years
.
Canadian War Grave Register 1914 1919 documents stated the following, Killed In Action, While in the trenches at St Julien, he was hit in the body by a bullet from a rifle in the hands of an enemy sniper, and died about on half hour after being hit. He was then exhumed before being reburied within Perth Cemetery, China Wall , 1 and a quarter miles of Ypres. Belgium
.
A local newspaper states.
Private W.J Keenan, of the Canadian Infantry, killed at Ypres, was the eldest son of Mr J Keenan, 25 Shankill Road, Belfast
.
Canadian Service Records show his mother as claimant for his Pension. She is recognised as an administrator on behalf of his wife Elizabeth who is sadly described as being an Inmate in a lunatic asylum in Ireland. There is also a Wm H Keenan, described as his son, in the care of his mother
.
William received the British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914-1915 Star.
.
He is Remembered at Perth Cemetery (China Wall ), Belgium.
To Remember Is To Honour
.
Theme
Shankill Roll of Honour
Date
0
Classification
Book or Journal,
Certificate/Permit,
Roll of Honour or Memorial
