John Eyre Heaphy : Short Biography

John Eyre Heaphy, born on the 30.01.1886, son of John Eyre Heaphy, (1852 - 1910, R.I.C. Constable/Sergeant) and Mary Jane Boyd.  He married Jane Potter (1885 - 1961), daughter of James Potter and Agnes Beckett, Co. Mayo on the 18.01.1909. John Eyre Heaphy's military/police career as follows: 

Force: Royal Garrison Artillery (R.G.A) Clare Militia (1903 - 1906) (3 Years). Served: Co. Clare. Service No: 2984.

Force: Royal Irish Constabulary (R.I.C) (1907 - 1909) (2 Years). Served: Co. Mayo

Force: S.S Police (1910 - 1913) (3 Years). Served: Co. Down

Force: Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) (1915 - 1918) (3 Years). Service No: 6059. Served: France

Remembered at St. Mary's Cathedral, Limerick. John Eyre Heaphy was one of 4 brothers who joined the action during WWI.  Of the 4, only George Mortimer Heaphy survived.  The brother's sister, Lilian Jean Heaphy, born Eliza Jane Heaphy on the 20.10.1891, married George Watson, (1886 - 1930) on the 03.01.1918, COI, St. Munchins Limerick City.  Geroge Watson was a Corporal, Royal Engineers and served in France. 

(Limerick "The Church Lads' Brigade, and the Great War". The Heaphy family paid a heavy price during the Great War with three brothers being kill, Gunner Frederick Heaphy, St. John's Company was killed on 3rd of May 1917 with the 304th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, 17 years old. A year earlier, on the 7th May 1916, Pte William Heaphy died of wounds while serving with the No. 1 Coy. 1st Bn Irish Guards, aged 28. Yet another brother, L/Cpl John Eyre Heaphy, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), was killed on 7th April 1918. William and John were 28 and 33 years old respectively. George Heaphy, Royal Field Artillery, who was also in the CLB, survived the war)