Private in the Lanc. Fusiliers.
We had some trouble identifying this man but finally found an "M. O'Rourke" with connections to Christ Church and the Lancashire Fusiliers. We think the spelling "O'Rorke" is an error, albeit consistent, on both the war memorial cross outside the church and also on the tablet inside.
Andrew Behan has researched this man: Private Maurice D'Arcy O'Rourke was born on 20 October 1893 in Hampstead, the eldest of the five sons of Richard B. O'Rourke and Alice Mary Louise O'Rourke. He was baptised on 25 November 1894 at Christ Church, Hampstead and the baptismal records show the family was living at Wildwood Grove, Hampstead and that his father was a salesman. The 1901 census shows the family living at 119 Kilburn Lane, Willesden.
He enlisted in the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, in Bury, Lancashire. His service number was 1942 which would indicate he joined in 1909, and this Battalion was posted in Karachi, India, (now Pakistan). The Battalion returned to the United Kingdom in January 1915 and he was serving in 'E' Company when he landed at Gallipoli in the Dardanelles, Turkey on 25 April 1915 and was killed in action, aged 21 years, on the same day. As he has no known grave, he is commemorated on the Helles Memorial at Cape Helles, Turkey. His mother was forwarded his army effects totalling £7-9s-10d on 1 October 1918 and his £5-0s-0d war gratuity on 12 August 1919 to her address at 72 The Crescent, Stamford Hill. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, The British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
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