pol o frithil Posted 29 September , 2004 Share Posted 29 September , 2004 i am looking for information on rev. m bergin who was chaplain 3rd class with the anzacs forces. he was killed on the 12th october 1917. he is buried in reninghelst churchyard extension. i have got this info off the cwgc. there is record of medal card on the national archives. any one with any info out there i would be most greatful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 29 September , 2004 Share Posted 29 September , 2004 Volume 4 of the Australian Official History (CEW Bean) mentions him in a note in reference to the severe bombardment of the (II ANZAC) back areas especially with mustard gas. The note says:- "Many well-known members of the AIF were killed on tracks about this battlefield, among them ...........and Father M Bergin (Rosscrea, Ireland), a missionary, who joined the force in Egypt and of whom a soldier said at Pozieres "If ever an angel walked among men it was he"." Unfortunately I don't have the rest of the Official History but he may be mentioned in earlier volumes. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 29 September , 2004 Share Posted 29 September , 2004 I forgot to add that I will be in the vicinity of Reninghelst on 8 October and would be happy to take photographs if required. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 29 September , 2004 Share Posted 29 September , 2004 There is plenty on Mr Bergin. Am amazing story. He joined the AIF on the 12/05/1915 at Anzac, Turkey! He was a native of Rosscrea, Tipperary. He was assigned to the 5th Light Horse Regiment. He was later attached to the 51st Battalion where he won an MC in 1917 before dying of wounds on or about the 12/10/1917. He was awarded the MC pothumously. His service papers are online at National Archives. The 51st Battalion history advises that he was a Jesuit priest and was ejected from Palestine by the Turks and went to Gallipoli as a stretcher bearer. 'After the evacuation, he wangled his way into the AIF though he had never been to Australia. Everybody liked him". http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=3083497&I=1 Search here for his Roll of Honour Details, Award Details and Award Citation. http://www.awm.gov.au/database/biographical.asp There is a photo of him in a 51st Battalion group shot the AWM Databases and a Biography also. Search here for them. http://www.awm.gov.au/database/collection.asp I also suggest you try see if he is mentioned in the official history. Go to the index for each volume and look under B for Bergin. http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/index.asp Regards Tim D Bergin.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 29 September , 2004 Share Posted 29 September , 2004 He is mentioned in a footnote on page 932 of Volume IV of the Official History. http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/ww1/4/page.asp?gotopage=932 '...of whom a soldier said at Pozieres "If ever and angel walked among men it was he". There is also a group shot of him in the 51st Battalion History. Regards Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 29 September , 2004 Share Posted 29 September , 2004 Details are from 'The Cross on the sword' by Johnstone & Hagerty Fr Michael Bergin was "An Irish Jesuit working in Syria, he had been interned by the Turks. Becoming ill with smallpox, he was released and went to Egypt. Hearing of the shortage of Catholic chaplains with the AIF, he attached himself to the Australian Light Horse near Cairo. Accompanying them to Gallipoli, he was actually commissioned on the Anzac beach. 'He was Killed near Zonnebeke, N.E. of Ypres on 11th Oct. Our battalion was in the front line, and as was his usual custom, he went up to the find out if there was anything he could do for the men. On the way to the front a piece of shell caught him in the chest, killing him instantly.' [Lt-Col Christie, 51st Bn. AIF, letter] His name is on the magnificent Australian War Memorial at Canberra, although he never set foot on Australian soil." Regards Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 29 September , 2004 Share Posted 29 September , 2004 Hi Pol, Tried to personal message you back but it doesn't seem to have worked for some reason. You did not send the surname of the first soldier 'Fred'. As far as Finan goes have you posted the MIC in the Interpreting Medal Index Cards section of the forum? Someone should be able to tell you what order he served in the various regiments. After this you can have the war diaries of each unit accessed at the PRO to give you a snapshot of what the various units did. There is also The Long, Long Trail website which you can access which will tell you plenty. Top left of this page. As far as the 51st Battalion photo in the history goes I am picking up a scanner soon and can scan and e-mail/post a copy for you. Give me a few weeks. Regards Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 29 September , 2004 Share Posted 29 September , 2004 If you have not already done so have a look at the posts you have already made in respect to these men. There is good information there about what to do. TD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 14 October , 2004 Share Posted 14 October , 2004 Pol. Despite several attempts I was unable to email the pictures of Rev Bergin's grave so I will add them here instead. Not best quality unfortunately but hope they are OK. His grave is the first one you come to in the cemetery. Picture 1 below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 14 October , 2004 Share Posted 14 October , 2004 Picture no. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curranl Posted 15 October , 2004 Share Posted 15 October , 2004 Hello Pol, There is also some information on this man in Myles Dungan's book " They Shall Grow Not Old - Irish Soldiers and the Great War"(Four Courts Press, ISBN 1-85182-347-6). There is about a page on him. The book is also worth getting to give you a bigger picture of the Irish involvement in the war. Regards, Liam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 5 November , 2004 Share Posted 5 November , 2004 Pol, Also found the attached photo in the 50th Battalion History. It mentions in this histiry that he was the Roman Catholic Chaplain for the 13th Infantry Brigade (which contained the 49th, 50th, 51st and 52nd Battalions). Rgds Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevenbec Posted 5 November , 2004 Share Posted 5 November , 2004 I also have a little on him. Michael H. Bergin age 35 a Teacher/Clegyman of Fancroft Ireland. He enlisted at Fagala Cairo Egypt in the AIF 13th May 1915 as Chaplain 4th Class and is shown as a Jesuit preist who had been imprisoned by the Turks during his work in Palestine/Syria. He was sent to the 2nd LH Bde and attached to the 5th LHR before going to France as Chaplian 3rd class to both the 13th Bde att 51Bn to win his MC. I did see that the AWM site has his MC with the 57Bn? perhaps a mistake. Cheers S.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 6 November , 2004 Share Posted 6 November , 2004 Steve, He was attached to the 51st Battalion. 57th is obviously a mistake. His papers are online at Archives and his citation is also in the recommendations at the AWM. Pretty amazing individual. Rgds Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 10 November , 2004 Share Posted 10 November , 2004 Pol, Missed a whole article on him in the 50th Battalion History. Have e-mailed it to you. Rgds Tim D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 11 November , 2004 Share Posted 11 November , 2004 And it bounced back at me.....yet again!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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