Lynn Brothers (County Tyrone)
The Lynn brothers were four siblings from Coalisland, County Tyrone, who served in the British Army during the First World War. Each died while on active service between 1915 and 1920, making theirs one of the most notable multiple-sibling losses from Ireland.
Early life
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The Lynn family lived on a small farm in Coalisland, County Tyrone, Ireland, which was then part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.[1] This was prior to the partition of Ireland in 1921, when the island was governed as a single political entity under British rule. The state of Northern Ireland did not yet exist.[2]
James Lynn Sr. worked as a railway porter at Dungannon station before becoming a farmer, and his wife, Elizabeth Lynn (née Abernethy), was a dressmaker. They raised seven children, four sons and three daughters, in a Presbyterian household rooted in the rural traditions of early 20th-century Ulster.[3][4]
Military service and deaths
[edit]All four Lynn brothers enlisted in the British Army during the First World War.[1] Their service spanned multiple regiments and theatres of war, and each died in active service between 1915 and 1920.
- Driver Robert Lynn (1885-1915), Royal Field Artillery, was the first to die. He was killed in action on 6 August 1915 at Ypres, Belgium, while transporting ammunition under sniper and artillery fire—one of the most hazardous duties on the Western Front. He is buried at Hop Store Cemetery.[3][5]
- Sergeant William Edward Lynn (1895-1916), Royal Irish Fusiliers (1st Battalion), was killed on 17 July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He died while attempting to retrieve a stretcher to rescue a wounded comrade and was described by a fellow soldier as having died “a hero’s death”. He is buried at Auchonvillers Military Cemetery in France.[6][7]
- Private John Lynn (1887-1916), Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (1st Battalion), died in a gas attack on 9 August 1916, also at Ypres. He is buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery just a few miles from his brother Robert.[8][9]
- Sergeant James Lynn (1882-1920), Army Service Corps, was the eldest and the last to die. After the deaths of his brothers, he was temporarily sent home in 1917, but later re-enlisted. He was posted to Palestine, where he died on 7 August 1920 in Haifa. In a final letter to his mother, he referred to himself as “last of the line”.[10] He is buried at Haifa War Cemetery.[11]
Legacy
[edit]The deaths of the Lynn brothers left a lasting impact on their hometown of Coalisland and have come to symbolize the profound personal cost of the First World War for many Irish families. Their story is commemorated on a marble memorial plaque in the Church of Ireland, Coalisland, erected by their parents, James and Elizabeth Lynn of Mousetown. The inscription honors all four sons by name, along with their regiments, dates, and places of death, and includes the poignant line:
“God is good, He will give us grace, to bear our heavy cross. He is the only one who knows how bitter is our loss.”[12]
Although the Lynn surname ended with James, the name has continued to be honoured within the extended family. In the generations that followed, “Lynn” was used as a middle name and, in some cases, as a first name by descendants of the brothers’ sisters — a quiet tribute to the family’s sacrifice and enduring memory.[1]
See also
[edit]- Coalisland
- History of Ireland (1801–1923)
- Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
- Royal Field Artillery
- Royal Army Service Corps
- Royal Irish Fusiliers
- WW1
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Neill, Sara (28 June 2016). "Battle of the Somme: The Tyrone Family of WW1 Soldiers". BBC News. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "The Partition of Ireland: History, Facts, Causes & Aftermath". HistoryExtra. BBC History Magazine. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Driver Robert Lynn". Dungannon War Dead. Royal British Legion Mid Ulster Branch. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "REMEMBERING OUR LOCAL HEROES – SERGEANT WILLIAM LYNN". Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Northern Ireland. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Driver Robert Lynn". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Sergeant William Edward Lynn". Dungannon War Dead. Royal British Legion Mid Ulster Branch. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Serjeant William Edward Lynn". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Private John Lynn". Dungannon War Dead. Royal British Legion Mid Ulster Branch. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Private John Lynn". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Sergeant James Lynn M.M." Dungannon War Dead. Royal British Legion Mid Ulster Branch. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Serjeant James Lynn". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Lynn Brothers". Imperial War Museums – War Memorials Register. Retrieved 26 June 2025.