An Cosantóir February 2017 www.dfmagazine.ie
26 |
by CAROLINE CARR, DONEGAL
COUNTY MUSEUM
www.donegalcoco.ie
PTE JAMES
DUFFY VC
Neil Armstrong, curator of the Royal
Inniskilling Fusiliers Museum, Enniskillen,
facilitated the loan of Pte Duffy's VC for the
occasion.
James Duffy was born in 1889 at Thorr,
Crolly, Gweedore, Co Donegal, and brought
up in Letterkenny. At 16 he emigrated
to Glasgow where he found work in the
shipyards. He enlisted in the army on 1st
December 1914 and was posted to the 6th
Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. The
battalion was sent to Gallipoli, later to
Egypt, and then onto Palestine in Septem-
ber 1917.
On 27th December 1917, Pte Duffy was
serving as a stretcher-bearer at Kereina
Park, Palestine, when his company was
under sustained Turkish attack. His heroic
D
onegal County
Museum, in
association with
28 Inf bn and the Royal
Inniskillings Fusiliers
Museum, were delighted
to host a private family
event in memory of Pte
James Duffy, winner of
the Victoria Cross in the
First World War. A Mass,
celebrated by Fr Alan Ward
CF, was also held, with
James Duffy's daughter,
Nellie, in attendance.
Private James Duffy VC
Pte James Duffy's
daughter Nellie with his
Victoria Cross.
