Letters By Author

Biography

John McCausland (1893 - n.d.)

Date of letters

October 1915 - 30 October 1919

Number of letters

28

Regiments

8th Royal Irish Rifles 107th Brigade Ulster Division September 1914 - June 1917
5th Royal Irish Rifles, 10th Division June 1917
15th Royal Irish Rifles February 1919
3rd Royal Irish Rifles April 1919

Rank

Second Lieutenant (left as Acting Captain)

Regimental number
8/13227

John McCausland was born on 20 January 1893 in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone to Mary Jane Henderson and Alexander McCausland, a farmer and later railway employee. The family were originally from Dunmullan outside Omagh and relocated to Belfast sometime between 1899 and 1901. From 1901 the McCausland family resided in Moorfield Street, off Ravenscroft Avenue, in East Belfast.

McCausland was appointed Assistant Librarian in the Lending Department of Belfast Central Library in March 1907. He was the first staff member to ‘join the Colours’ at the outbreak of war by enlisting in the 8th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles at Clandeboye, as a Corporal, on 8 September 1914.

His early letters describe France and life in the trenches. McCausland was given a commission in June 1917, being promoted from Sergeant to Second Lieutenant. This role took him away from France to Italy, Salonica and Egypt.

McCausland suffered shell shock in 1916 and was injured again in September 1918 as the result of a Yellow Cross (Mustard) Gas and Phosgene Gas attack. The war left him with severe injuries and in April 1919 he applied for a disability pension. The last letter in his correspondence is from his doctor to Goldsbrough, the Chief Librarian, stating that McCausland was unfit for work. He resigned from Belfast Public Libraries on 7 January 1920 due to ill health. The last known contact from McCausland came in 1926. In April of that year he wrote to Goldsbrough requesting a letter of recommendation for the Officers Association who assisted disabled officers in obtaining employment, which he received. In September of the same year McCausland wrote again requesting an application for a position in the library. He states that he is “80% permanently disabled”.

Belfast Central Library. © National Museums Northern Ireland Collection Ulster Museum.

Author Letters

For Author John McCausland we have found 28 correspondence(s).

Reference	Date of Letter	Type	Summary	View Letter
McC-001	01 January 1915	Letter	McCausland to Elliott. France. Separation allowance, weather.	View
McC-002	01 October 1915	Letter	McCausland to Elliott. France. Trenches, effect of war on landscape and French people, graves.	View
McC-003	26 October 1915	Letter	Elliott to McCausland. Letter read to staff, other staff at war.	View
McC-004	12 November 1915	Letter	McCausland to Elliott. France. Trenches, farmers working alongside trenches.	View
McC-005	19 November 1915	Letter	Elliott to McCausland. Recruiting (war), staff 'joining the Colours'.	View
McC-006	19 November 1915	Letter	McCausland to Elliott. France. Trenches, 'no man's land', war effort, volunteers and conscripts.	View
McC-007	19 June 1916	Letter	McCausland to Elliott. France. Trenches, writing from a dug-out door.	View
McC-008	29 June 1916	Letter	Elliott to McCausland. Other staff at war.	View
McC-009	28 July 1916	Postcard	Field Service Postcard from McCausland to Elliott. I am quite well.	View
McC-010	18 August 1916	Postcard	Field Service Postcard from McCausland to Elliott. I am quite well.	View
McC-011	12 September 1916	Postcard	Field Service Postcard from McCausland to Elliott. I am quite well.	View
McC-012	30 August 1917	Postcard	Field Service Postcard from McCausland to Goldsbrough. Italy. On way to Salonika.	View
McC-013	20 September 1917	Letter	McCausland to Goldsbrough. Troop Ship. Salonica, weather.	View
McC-014	16 October 1917	Letter	McCausland to Goldsbrough. Egypt. With Irish Regiment, weather.	View
McC-015	01 November 1917	Letter	Goldsbrough to McCausland. Good luck in new location, Miss Miller, Brown.	View
McC-016	30 November 1917	Letter	McCausland to Goldsbrough. Egypt. Brown, Turkish forces, weather, other staff at war, library staff.	View
McC-017	24 December 1917	Postcard	Field Service Postcard from McCausland to Goldsbrough. I am quite well.	View
McC-018	20 May 1918	Postcard	Field Service Postcard from McCausland to Goldsbrough. I am quite well.	View
McC-019	30 May 1918	Postcard	Field Service Postcard from McCausland to Goldsbrough. I have been admitted into hospital.	View
McC-020	29 August 1918	Letter	McCausland to Goldsbrough. Brown's death, moved 15th R.I.R., meets Roy and Coulson.	View
McC-021	03 October 1918	Letter	McCausland to Goldsbrough. London General Hospital. Gassed, eyesight.	View
McC-022	12 October 1918	Letter	Goldsbrough to McCausland. Gas attack, other staff at war.	View
McC-023	17 February 1919	Letter	Goldsbrough to McCausland. Demobilisation.	View
McC-025	01 April 1919	Form	Returning Candidates Vacancy Form	View
McC-024	15 April 1919	Letter	McCausland to Goldsbrough. Brocton, Staffordshire. Demobilisation, disability pension, poor health.	View
McC-026	24 April 1919	Letter	Goldsbrough to unknown. Employment on return to civilian life.	View
McC-027	25 October 1919	Letter	Goldsbrough to McCausland. Demobilization, no communication.	View
McC-028	30 October 1919	Letter	R Watson, M.D. to Goldsbrough. McCausland not fit for work, list of illnesses.	View