Also Served: Joseph Molloy - Joseph MOLLOY
22 Ward Street, Prescot Rifleman 212323, 19th Bn., Rifle Brigade Joseph was born in 1882 in Prescot. On 24th September 1904 he married Mary at the Catholic Church in Prescot. They subsequently had seven children; Joseph (date unknown), Thomas (6th September 1906), Theresa (8th February 1908), William (18th February 1909), Edmund (9th March 1911) and Mary (27th February 1914), plus a child who died, as indicated by the 1911 census entry.
Joseph worked as a Rigger for BI & HC Ltd in Prescot before the war, although he was working as a Coal Miner at the time of the 1911 census.
He joined the army on 14th January 1915 in St Helens and was initially posted to the 5th Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment as Private 20379.
After initial training in England, Joseph left Devonport on 30th December 1915 bound for Egypt, arriving at Alexandria on 14th January 1916, from where he moved to camp at Ismailia. . His unit was probably earmarked for service in Gallipoli but was then retained in Egypt after the withdrawal from the peninsula.
He was transferred to the Hampshire Regiment in September 1917 and then on 1st August 1918 he was again transferred, this time to the 19th Bn of the Rifle Brigade. Throughout this time he was in Kantara, Egypt. I cannot find any details of action, although it is possible that he served in the Palestine campaign.
He left Egypt for the UK on 2nd August 1919
Joseph was demobilised and posted to Class 'Z', Army Reserve on 30th August 1919 having served for over 3 years in Egypt. He claimed a pension as he was suffering from Nephritis as a result of exposure whilst on military service. His medal entitlement was to the British War Medal and Victory Medal. Ref. No.:
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