Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial records the name of Edward Keoch (or Keogh) amongst the casualties from WW1. The ICI war memorial, removed from Burn Naze in 1997 following the closure of the works, also recorded the same name. Following its refurbishment in 2015, however, that name was replaced by Edward Kehoe.
Edward Kehoe was born in New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland in 1882. He was the son of John Kehoe and his wife Bridget. Edward had a older brother John, born in 1871, and two sisters Mary and Bridget.
The two brothers joined the Royal Irish Regiment, John enlisting on 28 July 1873 and Edward on 10 August 1897, both at Clonmel, County Waterford. After two years on the home front, Pte. Edward Kehoe, 6096, 3rd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment was sent to South Africa. He spent more than six years there for which he was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with battle clasps for the Relief of Kimberley and Paardeberg, and the King's South Africa Medal with date clasps for 1901 and 1902.
Edward's military service record is annotated with the words "Character Bad". He was convicted of a number of offences being first imprisoned for 14 days on 15 January 1898. The most serious offence was in 1891 for "insubordination, striking his superior officer" for which he was sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour (one year remitted)". He was also sentenced on 21 November 1903 to 6 months imprisonment for receiving goods knowing them to be stolen. Edward returned to Britain on 31 March 1905 and was transferred to Army Reserve the next day.
On 19 July 1906 Edward married Margaret Cahill at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Talbot Street, Blackpool. Margaret was born in New Ross in 1885. Their first child, John, was born in Blackpool on 6 January 1907. Two more children were born in Blackpool: Mary in 1908 and Kathleen in 1909. Bridget, their fourth child, was born in Burn Naze in 1910 and the Kehoe family were recorded at 10 Hapton Street when the Census taken on 2 April the following year. Edward was employed by the United Alkali Company as a labourer. Another daughter, Eileen, was born in Spring 1914.
Edward's brother John Kehoe was also working as a chemical labourer at Burn Naze and boarding in Ormerod Street. Sadly, John died on 2 August 1913, aged 42 and unmarried. He had been in poor health since leaving the army and had been treated for consumption for the previous two years. He was found dead in his bed following a marathon 26 hour shift at United Alkali. The coroner, John Parker, counselled the proprietors of the company to do more to protect the men from working such excessive hours.
On the outbreak of war, Edward enlisted in Fleetwood and was sent to France on 14 February 1914 with the Royal Lancaster Regiment. He was killed in action on 5 May 1915 at Hill 60 during the Second Battle of Ypres. He was aged 33. Pte. Edward Kehoe, 1576, 1st/5th Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment is buried in Plot 58, Row E, Grave 4 at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
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