John James Ormsby was the son of George and Anna Maria Ormsby. He was born on 19 September 1886 in Ballybunion County Kerry. George Ormsby The 1901 records the family as living in Aghareville Lower, Kilcolman, County Mayo. John was a 14 year old scholar. George Ormsby had retired from the Royal Irish Constabulary. John J Ormsby had been a Irish Guardsman before the War but left the regiment to become a policeman in the Royal Irish Constabulary. When war broke out he returned to Mayo where he enlisted in Castlebar with the Irish Guards again. He was living in Dungannon, County Tyrone at the time. Private John James Ormsby was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Irish Guards when he was killed in action about 1st November 1914, age 28. The CWGC records he was the son of Burris and Anna Maria Ormsby, of I, Belle Vue Terrace, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone.
Ypres (now Ieper) is a town in the Province of West Flanders. The Memorial is situated at the eastern side of the town on the road to Menin (Menen) and Courtrai (Kortrijk). Each night at 8 pm the traffic is stopped at the Menin Gate while members of the local Fire Brigade sound the Last Post in the roadway under the Memorial's arches.
