Gunner Andrew Francis Donoghue
330th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
30/04/1917
NEWS ITEM in Jersey
Evening Post of Monday 7 May 1917
Roll of Honour. We regret to learn that
Gunner Andrew (Bert) Donoghue of the Royal Field Artillery
has died somewhere in France after a short illness.
The death occurred on 30 April and the sad news was
conveyed to the widow, who resides in Kensington Place
in a sympathetic letter from the Captain of his Battery
and which she received yesterday.
It
reads "Dear Mrs Donoghue, Major C W Hince, who commands the Battery, asks
me to write and say with what very deep regret he has to tell you that your husband,
701651 Gunner Donoghue, died in hospital at 3 o'clock on Monday afternoon from
acute tuberculosis. Your husband was buried in a cemetery here today and the Major,
Lieutenant Heeley and I attended the funeral. A party of men from the Battery
acted as bearers. I deeply regret I cannot inform you the place where your husband
is buried, but you will be duly notified by the authorities, his grave will be
properly registered and cared for. While of course nothing can atone for the irreparable
loss you have sustained it may be of some slight consolation to you to know that
your husband died for his Country just as much as though he had been killed in
action, indeed he was in action until shortly before his death. He was an excellent
soldier and liked by everyone. Major Hince desires me to express his deep sympathy
with you and I wish also to convey the sympathy of Lieutenant Heeley, your husband's
section officer, and myself and all the other officers, NCOs and men of the Battery.
Yours faithfully, T H HOWSON, Captain RFA".
The deceased, who was in his 25th year, joined up in Birmingham
and had been at the Front since February. He was a brother of Mr J Donoghue of
8 The Parade.
Picture courtesy of Mike
& Rosemarie Thomas
