PRIVATE P. KEOGH (REAL NAME LOONEY), 1ST BATTALION ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS

Queen's South Africa Medal, 3 clasps, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal, officially impressed (3840 Private, Royal Dublin Fusiliers) Natal clasp scarce to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, only 129 to the regiment, of which just 25 were awarded to men from the 1st Battalion, attached for service with a detachment of the 2nd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers, who formed part of the garrison in Natal, of the remaining 104 clasps awarded to the regiment, 76 went to the 2nd Battalion, 5 to men of the 3rd Battalion, 5 to men of the 4th Battalion, and 6 to men of the 5th Battlion attached to the detachment of the 2nd Battalion. Patrick Keogh (Looney) volunteered for service with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers for the first time at Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland, on 31/10/1890. Born in Athy, Co. Kildare, he was 19 years of age at the time of enlistment, gave his trade as that of Labourer, and stated that he had previously seen service with the 3rd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers (Kildare Militia). During his first enlistment Keogh (Looney) saw service at home from 31/10/1890 to 26/1/1893, in the East Indies from 27/1/1893 to 17/5/1897, in South Africa from 18/5/1897 to 18/7/1898, at home from 19/7/1898 to 9/10/1899, in South Africa from 10/10/1899 to 1/9/1902, and at home from 2/9/1902 to 30/10/1902. Service History sheet missing from Keogh (Looney's) service papers. However, he must have been discharged from service some time prior to 4th August 1909, because, following the outbreak of WW1, he was not recalled to the colours as a reservist. Service papers record that instead Patrick Keogh volunteered for service with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers for a second time, indicating that his 5 years in the Army Reserve had ended. The by now 45 year old Keogh attested at Naas on 12th September 1914. At the second time of enlistment, he initially gave his surname as Keogh, his trade as that of painter, and was posted for service with the 6th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers the day after attestation, 13/9/1914. Keogh was promoted Lance Corporal 10/10/1914, but reverted to Private 19/1/1915, and was posted for service with the 3rd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers 4/8/1916. Keogh subsequently transferred for service with the Royal Munster Fusiliers, on 16/6/1917, and then to the 662nd (Home Service) Employment Company, Labour Corps, 28/7/1917, and to the 653rd (Home Service) Employment Company on 11/3/1918. Following the cessation of hostilities, on 1/2/1919 Keogh volunteered for an additional 1 year service with the colours, continuing to serve with the Labour Corps until he was finally discharged on 29/4/1920. Address at time of final discharge given as 8 St Johns, Athy, Co. Kildare. In addition to home service during WW1, Keogh saw service with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force from 10/7/1915 to 28/6/1916, and with the British Expeditionary Force, Army of Occupation, from 9/5/1919 to 30/3/1920 (also entitled 1914-15 Star Trio) Interestingly, on the recipient's WW1 attestation paper his surname was initially written as Keogh, but this has been crossed out and the surname Looney inserted in its place. Throughout the remainder of his WW1 service papers his surname is given as Looney. Additionally, his next of kin on his WW1 service papers is given as his wife, Kate Looney, of 3 St Johns, Athy, Co. Kildare (by the time of Keogh/Looney's discharge his home address had changed to 8 St Johns). From reading Keogh/Looney's service papers, it is clear that he originally saw service under an assumed name, and only gave his correct surname when his identity was challenged at the time of re- enlistment in 1914, wherupon the surname that he had attempted to re-enlist under, Keogh, was crossed out on his attestation papers, and his correct surname, Looney, insterted in its place. Private Keogh/Looney's WW1 period service papers indicate that he saw service with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force from 1915-16. At this time he was serving with the 6th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Private Keogh was serving with the 6th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers in 1915. That battalion formed part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, and landed at Suvla Bay on 7th August 1915. Looney's Medal Index Card confirms service in Gallipoli from 7th August 1915. Keogh/Looney probably parted company with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force when he was posted for service with the 3rd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers on 4/8/1916 (at that time the 3rd Battalion were stationed at Cork in Ireland, and he would have had to return home to take up his new posting). Keogh thus probably saw service with the 6th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers throughout its time in Gallipoli, and for part of its time in Salonika (the 6th Dublins saw service in Salonika from October 1915 to September 1917)