David Golden, 7196 in Somerset Light Infantry

Glden from NCOs photograph

Casements NCOs

The Brigade roll book manes this man and service number and regiment. Casement gives his previous job as "coal miner" which would point to him living in a coal mining area. There is no coal mining in Ireland. Coal mining is not something one assocaites with Somerset. However his service records links the story all the way through, and as it shows he was a coal miner before WW1 The 1911 census confirms him to be a coal miner. He is listed in April 1916 pay book as L/Cpl

David Golden

Correct MIC for David Golden , service number correct in Roll

1880 David Golden is born Cork, Jul - Sep 1880 . Volume: 5. Page: 153 at Grenagh RC Church, 7 miles north of Blarney and linking him to Keogh's description of coming from Blarney. His father was David Golden of Granagh, Blarney, Cork.

1901 He would appear to have joined the merchant navy and was a stoker in 1901 census at Devonport. Nothing for him in 1911 census in Ireland. The man identified as Golden in the photo of the NCOs is the right sort of age for him.

1903 Dec 28 Joins Somerset Light Infantry. 5ft 3 inches tall, about 10 stone, fresh complexion, grey eyes, brown hair. He gives his trade as a seaman. His service record that survives is here.

1904 Sep 20 posted to India

1907 Jan 26 back to England

1907 Jan 28 transferred to Army Reserve, but this is only a teechnical move to the reserves.

1907 Mar 21 rejoined colours to complete 7 years

1909 May 22 awarded 22 days detention by CO

1909 Nov 5 posted to Malta

1910 Sep 24 posted back to England

1910 Dec 27 transferred to Army Reserve

1911 Census, and we find him as a coal hewer, boarding at Ash Grove, Treforest, Glamorgan. He is given as born 1880 at Blarney, Cork. The house is of Maurice and Katherine Coughlin (Katherine was born Blarney, Cork and one assumes his sister or a relation)

1914 Aug 8 Mobilised at Taunton

1914 Aug 21 Arrives in France. The 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry were part of 11th Brigade, 4th Division. He is wounded at some point a his record shows a gun shot wound to the forehead, but only a small portion of his record survives, so there are no details of his wounding.

1914 Taken prisoner, and followed the rest of the Irish Brigade through Limburg, Zossen and Danzig

1915 Jan 25 Prisoner of War. A reliable POW debrief (no 258) who lists accurately 12 men who joined by name and regiment, and adds two others whose names he did not know, one in Somersets and one in Cheshires.

1915 Did not volunteer for Egypt. I do not know if he lost his stripe as a result.

1916 May 12. He wrote letters to UK asking for food parcels. He appears to have been working on a farm from at least this date until they were moved to Danzig.

1916 July FO383/288 reports that prisoners from Zossen were moved to Danzig-Troyl including Pte D Golden

1919 Jan 6 back in England

1919 Apr 4 demobilised to class Z Reserve.

1919 May 28 awarded bounty of £20. There is certainly no appearance of his having been punished for his time with the Irish Brigade

David Golden death cert

1944 Feb 4 Died of cardiac failure. He was a factory worker at this time, living at 51 Commercial St, Maesteg. Death reported by Maroney, brother in law, at 3 ? Street, Maesteg. The death certificate being on his army file indicates that he was receiving a pension.

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