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Captain Geoffrey Thomas Baggallay in Reserve of Officers killed 21/11/1920.
1891 Geoffrey Thomas Baggallay born Oct/ Dec 1891 at Kensington vol 1a, p101
1901 census
1911 census
1912 About Aug from his service number, he enlisted as a Private in 28th London Regt. with Service No 1040. 1/28th (County of London) Battalion (Artist's Rifles) was a Territorial unit.
"The Artists Rifles was a popular unit for volunteers. It had been increased to twelve companies in 1900 and was formed into three sub-battalions in 1914, and recruitment was eventually restricted by recommendation from existing members of the battalion. It particularly attracted recruits from public schools and universities. On this basis, following the outbreak of the First World War, a number of enlisted members of the Artists' Rifles were selected to be officers in other units. This exercise was so successful that, early in 1915, selected Artists' officers and NCOs were transferred to run a separate Officers Training Corps, the remainder being retained as a fighting unit. Over fifteen thousand men passed through the battalion during the war, more than ten thousand of them becoming officers.
1914 at outbreak of war the troops were attached to 2nd London Division. Moved on mobilisation to St Albans area.
1914 Oct 26 Landed in France. Later Established as an Officers Training Corps based at Bailleul, going in April 1915 to St Omer.
Group from Artists Rifles in 1915
1916 Feb 26 Posted on to South Wales Borderers. London Gazette says nominated for Commission in the Regular Army, under paragraph 3 of Army Order 333 of 1915, to be Second Lieutenants, and to retain their higher rank until ordered to join a regular unit. — with seniority from 4 Feb 1916. He is a temp 2nd Lieutenant.
1916 Jun 1. Promoted Temp Captain 2nd Lt. G. T. Baggallay (S. Wales Bord.). Gazetted
1917 Apr 18 2nd Lt. G. T. Baggallay (S. Wales Bord.) relinquishes the temp, rank of Capt. on ceasing to be employed with the Corps. This appears to refer to Machine Gun Corps in the context. He had lost a leg in the war.
1919 May 24, he made an application for his 1914 Star from 1 Dorset Rd, Wimbledon, London SW9
1919 Jun 26. He might have been married on this date from MIC, but nothing in Ireland or England
1919 Aug 5. Lt. G. T. Baggallay, S. Wales Bord., to be temp. Capt. (without the pay or allowances of that rank) whilst employed. as a Courts- Martial Officer.
1919 Aug 24, S. Wales Bord.—Lt. G. T. Baggallay is placed placed on half pay list, and retains his present appt. as Courts-Martial Officer, Catterick- Res. Centre.
1920 Apr 11. Lt. G. T. Baggallay, on ceasing to be employed. as CourtsMartial Officer, Catterick, is placed on the half pay list on account of ill health.
1920 Apr 30 Special appointment and he is gazetted a Temp Capt, while employed as a Courts Martial officer. Lt. G. T. Baggallay, from the half pay list, is restored to full pay whilst employed as a Courts Martial Ofiicer. 30th Apr. 1920.
Living at 119 Baggot Street, Captain Geoffrey Thomas Baggallay, a barrister by profession, who had been employed as a prosecutor under the Restoration of Order in Ireland Regulations, and who had been a member of military courts that sentenced IRA volunteers to death, was killed by a three-man IRA unit. Perhaps he had been targeted for assassination due to his role in the "Cairo Gang" murder of Kilmallock solicitor, J who had been mistaken for IRA commander Liam Lynch. But although there is spin on this, I can find no evidence to him havig anything to do with Lynch's death. As a court martial prosecutor, the IRA would have seen him as a legitimate target, but he appears to have nothing to do with the "Cairo Gang" or British Intellegence.
IRA men present here
Outside 119 Lower Baggot Street, Matty MacDonald shared a joke with Jack Keating about the size of the hammer he had brought to force in the door. But the hammer was not needed. MacDonald went on:
We knocked at the front door a maid came along have a letter from the Castle will you deliver this note to Captain Bagelly a one legged man. The maid pointing and in we went in. We tapped at the door, opened it and walked in. There were 3 of us. Bagelly was in bed. Lemass, Jimmy and I. I was kind of scared. ‘Captain Bagelly ?’ ‘That’s my name.’ ‘ I suppose you know what we came for. We came for you.’ He was the Judge Advocate General. ‘ I suppose you’ve come for my guns’ he said. One of us, Jimmy Brennan hid it under the bed and he reached behind for it… Slugs and a little more was our reply. ‘Get up.’ He was in pyjamas. Lemass and Jimmy and I fired 2 in the head from the 3 guns. I heard maids screaming afterwards but I was told she was alright. On the ground floor was Jack Foley. A fellow came out with a towel in pyjamas for a bath and Jack stuck him up and he was balls naked. Thinking he was a lodger but he was another British army officer and how we didn’t know about him, we hadn’t any orders about him. MacDonald took a camera and whatever papers he could find. An examination of the body found that Captain G. T. Baggally had been shot on the top of the head, through the left eye and twice in the chest
Another source says Baggally was shot by Mick Flanagan once the Captain’s girlfriend had been relocated from the bed. Future Fianna Fáil Taoiseach, Seán Lemass. and one other man were also in attendance.
Capt Baggallay has recently been accepted for commemoration by the CWGC. However, it will not be possible to add his name to this Memorial immediately. Comemorated on Brookwood Memorial, which is owned by the Commission and is the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the United Kingdom, covering approximately 37 acres. In 1917, an area of land in Brookwood Cemetery (The London Necropolis) was set aside for the burial of men and women of the forces of the Commonwealth and Americans, who had died, many of battle wounds, in the London district
Hansard reports. When the police arrived every occupant of the house had left, and no witness was available to describe the circumstances.
Thomas Whelan was later tried and hanged for this murder
Geoffrey Baggallay never married, the obituary notice was placed by his fiancee "M.B.J."
The Times 21 Nov 1921
Companion of Order of St Michael and St George is used to honour individuals who have rendered important services in relation to the United Kingdom. I have not found him in London Gazette with this honour.