Seaman John Doyle RNR Service was the son of John and Anne Doyle (née Parle), born 2nd Nov 1882 Ballycleary, Kilmore, Wexford.

John enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve on the 1st of December 1904. From April 1910 till October 1911 he worked as a fisherman at Kilmore then worked in the docks at Swansea for a couple of years before being called up at the outbreak of war.

He was stationed on the Majestic when, in early 1915, the ship was dispatched to the Mediterranean for service in the Dardanelles Campaign. The Majestic  participated in bombardments of Turkish forts and supported the Allied landings at Gallipoli. On 27 May 1915, John survived when the Majestic was torpedoed by a U-boat at Cape Helles, sinking with the loss of 49 men.

“News has been received from the Admiralty by Mrs. Annie Doyle, Moorfield, that her son, John Doyle, RNR, has been lost on the Laurentic, which was sunk by a mine. He was about 33 years of age and had been in the navy for 10 years previous to the outbreak of war. When the war broke out he was called up. He was on the Majestic when she was sunk in the Dardanelles and had a lucky escape at that time. He was then sent on the Carnarven, bringing troops from Canada and several other places. he was then sent to barracks to undergo some special gunnery training and was then sent on the ill-fated Laurentic.”

Wexford People 10th March 1917

John Doyle’s body was never recovered.