John Condon (British Army soldier)
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John Condon | |
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![]() John Condon photographed sometime between 1913 and 1915 | |
Born | Waterford City, Ireland | 5 October 1897
Died | 24 May 1915 Ypres, Belgium | (aged 17)
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | ![]() |
Years of service | 1913-1915 |
Rank | Private |
Unit | Third Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment (1684) |
Battles/wars | World War I |
Pte. John Condon (5 October 1897 – 24 May 1915) was an Irish soldier born in Waterford. He was mistakenly believed to have been the youngest Allied soldier killed during the First World War, at the age of 14 years; he lied about his age and he claimed to be 18 years old when he signed up to join the army in 1913. He was killed in action in a gas attack during the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915 and his body was not recovered for another ten years; his family were unaware that Condon was in Belgium until they were contacted by the British Army and told that he was missing in action. In 1922, Condon was also posthumously awarded the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the 1914-15 Star.
It is now believed from a birth certificate, census, war diaries and other records that John Condon would have been 18 years old at the recorded date of his death and that the wrong individual is named on the grave. At the present time, the headstone in Poelkapelle Cemetery and the CWGC record continue to assert the challenged data.[1][2][3][4]
In popular culture
[edit]Condon is the subject of the song of the same name by Mary Dillon, released in 2013 as a single from her debut album North.[5]
Gallery
[edit]- Gravestone of John Condon at the Poelcapelle British Cemetery
References
[edit]- ^ Campaign for War Grave Commemorations Analysis of Commonwealth War Graves Commission error
- ^ Waterford News (2007)
- ^ Waterford News (2003)
- ^ Commonwealth War Graves Commission database record for John Condon
- ^ Magpie, Rocking (6 November 2012). "Premiere: Mary Dillon's new single "John Condon"". No Depression. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
Further reading
[edit]- Condon evidence
- Spillebeen, Geert (2010). Age 14 - An Irish Boy Soldier. The Collins Press. ISBN 978-1848890565.