The Sinking of the R.M.S. Leinster
 

People on board

Maurice Roche

ROCHE, Maurice

Maurice Roche was born in Cork city about 1899 to John and Ellen Roche. The family has been identified in the 1901 census as living in two rooms in a tenement in Harpur’s Lane in the city centre. With the parents there were six children between the ages of twelve and two, the last being Maurice. However neither the marriage certificate nor any of the birth certificates have been found, which could confirm Ellen’s maiden name. She may have died in 1907 (though that death certificate was unavailable) and the family became split up. John and son Denis may have been living in Shandon Street in separate households, though that is not certain and Maurice cannot be found. John later lived in Grattan Street.

It is not known when Maurice Roche enlisted in the Royal Munster Fusiliers and was posted to the 1st Battalion. However there is a record of him being injured in June 1917 when the battalion was involved in the attack on the Messines Ridge in Flanders. Suffering from a gunshot wound in the right buttock, he was taken to the No 120 Temporary Ambulance Train. He was still with the 1st Battalion in October 1918 when it can be assumed he was on leave in Cork. Returning to duty on the 10th, he travelled on RMS Leinster but did not survive the sinking. However his body was recovered and he was buried in Grangegorman Military Cemetery.

 

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