Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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21890   Private Robert McNicol M.M.
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 01/05/2020
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 1st Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth: 19/05/1887
Died: 30/03/1918 (Killed in Action)
Age: 30
Summary      
Robert McNicol was the son of Daniel and Brigid McNicol. He was born on 19th May 1887 in the Cookstown area. The family lived in the Killycurragh area. Robert was the husband of Elizabeth McNichol. Robert enlisted in Cookstown. He served for a time with the Royal Garrison Artillery, before transferring to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Robert McNicol was invalided from Gallipoli after being recommended for gallantry. He won the Military Medal. Private Robert McNicol M.M. was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers when he was killed in action on Saturday 30th March 1918.
Private Robert McNicol M.M.
Further Information
Robert McNicol was the son of Daniel and Brigid McNicol. Daniel McNicol and Bridget ‘Biddy’ Maye were married on 19th November 1881 in the district of Cookstown.
Robert McNicol was born on 19th May 1887 in the Cookstown area, probably in the Killycurragh area. He was the middle child of seven.
Family: Daniel McNicol, Bridget McNicol, Martha McNicol (born 20th November 1882), William McNicol (born 1st April 1884), Mary McNicol (born 28th November 1885), Robert McNicol (born 19th May 1887), Lily McNicol (born 7th February 1889), Margaret McNicol (born 15th January 1891), Daniel McNicol (born 20th April 1892)
The 1901 census does not list Robert as living with the family at house 12 in Killycurragh, Orritor, Cookstown. Daniel McNicol was a labourer.
Robert McNicol and Elizabeth Lyttle were married on 25th August 1910 in the district of Cookstown.
The 1911 census does not list Robert as living with the family at house 13 in Killycurragh, Orritor. His father was a farm servant.
The 1911 census does not list Robert as living with his wife and in-laws at house 13 in Killymoon Demesne in Cookstown. This seems to suggest that he may have already joined the army.
Robert enlisted in Cookstown.
Medal card
Private Robert McNicol served for a time with the Royal Garrison Artillery, having the Regimental No. 29639.
Private Robert McNicol transferred to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
Robert McNicol was invalided from the Dardanelles after being recommended for gallantry.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 26th February 1916: (brother of Robert McNicol)
Newspaper Report
Lance Corporal Daniel McNicol, 2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, wounded (second time) in France, is the youngest son of Mr Daniel McNicol, Killycurragh, Cookstown
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 26th February 1916
Newspaper Report
Lance Corporal Robert McNicol, 1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers, invalided from the Dardanelles, after being recommended for gallantry, is the son of Mr Daniel McNicol, Killycurragh, Cookstown.
Acting Corporal Robert McNicol was awarded the Military Medal. The Military Medal was awarded to men and women who had shown individual or associated acts of bravery and at least 115,000 were awarded during the First World War.
The London and Edinburgh Gazette announced the award of his Military Medal (without an accompanying citation) in November 1916.
Medal card
Acting Corporal Robert McNicol M.M. was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers when he was listed as missing, killed in action on Saturday 30th March 1918, during the German Spring Offensive of 1918.
Private Robert McNicol M.M. has no known grave and is commemorated on panel 79 - 80 at Pozieres Memorial in France.
Private McNicol M.M. is also commemorated on Cookstown Cenotaph.
Robert’s younger brother also served. Lance Corporal Daniel McNicol, of the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was wounded for a second time in France in early 1916. He was severely wounded during the war, resulting in the loss of one of his legs. Daniel survived the war and returned to Killycurragh.
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Relevant Cookstown Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Killycurragh, Oritor Orritor Census listings in Killycurragh, Orritor 54.665399 -6.823204
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 1901 Census lists McNicol family 1901 census does not list Robert at house 12 in Killycurragh, Oritor
2 1911 Census lists Elizabeth McNichol Does not list Robert as living with his wife at house 13 in Killymoon Demesne, Cookstown Rural, Tyrone
3 1911 Census lists McNicol family 1911 census does not list Robert at house 13 in Killycurragh, Oritor
4 National Archives UK Medal card can be purchased here (Service Medal)
5 National Archives UK Medal card can be purchased here (Military Medal)
6 Soldiers Died in the Great War Details of Private Robert McNicol
7 The Gazette 14 Nov 1916 (Edinburgh) Notification of award of Military Medal
Cookstown District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2010-2023