Thomas McCaffrey was the son of Thomas and Mary Anne McCaffrey. He was born on 12th January 1889. He was one of seven children, all born in Fivemiletown. The CWGC record Thomas McCaffrey as the husband of Mary McCaffrey of 1 Mercer Street Garston, Liverpool. Private Thomas McCaffrey was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Irish Guards when he was killed in action on 14th April 1918. Private Thomas McCaffrey is buried in Aval Wood, just 48kms away from his brother Joseph McCaffrey, who was killed seven months earlier.
Further Information
Thomas McCaffrey was the son of Thomas and Mary Anne McCaffrey. Thomas McCaffrey and Mary Doherty were married on 19th November 1883 in the district of Dungannon.
Thomas McCaffrey was born on 12th January 1889. He was one of seven children, all born in Fivemiletown.
Family: Thomas McCaffrey, Mary Anne McCaffrey, James McCaffrey (born 2nd July 1885), Patrick McCaffrey (born 26th January 1887), Thomas McCaffrey (born 12th January 1889), John McCaffrey (born 29th May 1891), Catherine Letitia McCaffrey (born 26th January 1893), William McCaffrey (born 23rd April 1894), Joseph Fred McCaffrey (born 4th January 1896).
The 1911 census does not list Thomas as living with the family at house 6 in Kiltermon, Fivemiletown, Tyrone.
The 1901 census records Thomas as age 12 living with the family at house 4 in Kiltermon, Fivemiletown, Tyrone. He was still at school. Thomas’ father was a farmer.
The 1911 census does not list Thomas as living with the family at house 6 in Kiltermon, Fivemiletown, Tyrone.
Private Thomas McCaffrey was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Irish Guards when he was killed in action on 14th April 1918 during the Kaiserslacht offensive. The dates seem to coincide with the defence of Nieppe Forest where it looks like the Irish Guards units in the area were all but wiped out.
From the Tyrone Courier and Dungannon News dated Thursday 23 May 1918:
Private Willie Martin, son of Mrs Martin, Fivemiletown, and brother of Lieutenant Tom Martin, now at Middletown, Harry Emerson, Foglish, and Thomas Irvine of Clabby, have been reported missing and Private Thomas McCaffrey, formerly of Liverpool, and son of Mr Thomas McCaffrey, Kiltermon, has been reported killed in action. He leaves a young widow and one child in Liverpool and had a brother killed in action sometime ago.
Thomas McCaffrey left behind a young widow Mary McCaffrey and a young child. The CWGC record Mary McCaffrey as living at Mercer Street Garston, Liverpool.
Thomas's youngest brother, Private Joseph McCaffrey, was serving with 'A' Company of the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was wounded at Passchendaele, where there was a major offensive on the Messines Road at that time. Joseph McCaffrey died of his wounds on 22nd September 1917. He was 21 years old.
Private Thomas McCaffrey is buried in Aval Wood, just 48kms away from his brother Joseph McCaffrey, who was killed seven months earlier. His inscription reads: WE HAVE LOVED HIM IN LIFE LET US NOT FORGET HIM IN DEATH MAY HE REST IN PEACE
Private Thomas McCaffrey is commemorated locally on Fivemiletown War Memorial.
The CWGC records Private Thomas McCaffrey as the son of Thomas and Mary McCaffrey of County Tyrone and the husband of Mary McCaffrey of 1 Mercer Street, Garston, Liverpool.
Thanks to Frank McCaffrey, who has been in contact to confirm that the family name of his two great granduncles was McCaffrey.
Private Thomas McCaffrey is listed on page 64 of the Fivemiletown book, from which details and photo come from. Many thanks to Mark Byers for the information.
