---

 

Private John McKennell

 

John Jeffs McKennell was born on 15 May 1891 at Killylyn, Grange, County Armagh, the eighth of eleven children of farmer John McKennell and his wife Sarah Jane (née Jeffs). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Killylyn with his parents and five siblings.

McKennell enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 6 April and 14 May 1914 (No.938 – later Corps of Hussars No.71171). He embarked for France with C Squadron on 20 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.

McKennell remained with the regiment throughout the war. On 18 February 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.

In June 1920 McKennell emigrated to Canada. On 30 June 1926 he married Elizabeth Lillian Megaw in York, Ontario. He died in Toronto on 31 October 1960.

 

Grange St Aidan's Church of Ireland Churchyard, Armagh

 

McKennell's older brother Thomas also served in the war, in Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment). He died of wounds in France on 14 March 1918.

 

 

First image sourced from the Find a Grave website. Second image from Ancestry, Public Member Trees - contributor Valerie Burrows.