Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
ff
13921   Lance Corporal Francis Harkins
Save as PDF
Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 03/05/2021
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 5th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (British Army)
Died: 16/08/1915 (Killed in Action)
Age:
Summary      
Francis Harkins was born in Govan, Glasgow. Francis Harkins was living in Fivemiletown in County Tyrone when he returned to Glasgow to enlist. He was married to Catherine. Lance Corporal Francis Harkins was serving with the 5th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers when he was killed in action at Gallipoli on 16th August 1915. Mrs Catherine Harkins was living in Cess, Fivemiletown, at the time. Lance Corporal Francis Harkins has no known grave and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial.
Further Information
Francis Harkins was born in Govan, Glasgow, Scotland.
Francis Harkins was married to Catherine Harkins.
Francis Harkins was living in Fivemiletown in County Tyrone when he returned to Glasgow to enlist.
It seems he may have enlisted with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers initially, but later transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Medal card
Lance Corporal Francis Harkins arrived in the Balkans with the Royal Irish Fusiliers on 7th August 1915.
Lance Corporal Francis Harkins was serving with the 5th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers when he was killed in action at Gallipoli on 16th August 1915.
Mrs Catherine Harkins was living in Sess, Fivemiletown, at the time.
From the Belfast Evening Telegraph dated 24th September 1915:
HARKINS – 16th August 1915, killed in action at the Dardanelles, Lance Corporal Frank Harkin (No 13921) 6th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. ‘On his soul, Sweet Jesus, have mercy.’
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 29th September 1915:
Mrs Catherine Harkins, Cess, Fivemiletown, has been notified that her husband, Lance Corporal Frank Harkins (13921), 6th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, has been killed in action at the Dardanelles.
Lance Corporal Francis Harkins has no known grave and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial at Gallipoli.
Lance Corporal Francis Harkins is commemorated locally on Fivemiletown War Memorial.
Lance Corporal Francis Harkins is listed on page 14 of the Fivemiletown book, from which some of these details come from. Many thanks to Mark Byers for the information.
Read more
Relevant Dungannon Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Sess, Fivemiletown Fivemiletown Wife lived in Sess, Fivemiletown 54.393251 -7.317398
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone Newspaper report from 29 Sept 1915
2 National Archives UK Medal Card can be purchased here
Dungannon District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2015-2023