Fusilier Thomas Loney (1522941) served in 30th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers during the Second World War. He was the son of Thomas Loney and Elizabeth Loney (née Burrows) of Belfast, and husband of Norah Loney (née McWha) of Belfast.
In the 1901 Irish Census, 6 year old Thomas lived with his parents and 7 siblings at 160 Cupar Street, Belfast. By 1911, the family had moved to 61 Brussels Street, Belfast. In 1921, Thomas and his wife Norah had a son called Albert Loney. The family lived at 9 Lemberg Street, Belfast at Thomas’ time of death.
Tragic death in Larne, Co. Antrim
He died on 9th August 1942 aged 47 years old while returning from manoeuvres to camp in Larne, Co. Antrim. Deputy Coroner for the district, Dr. A.W. Thompson held an inquest on Monday 10th August 1942. After hearing evidence from Head Constable Stansfield, the inquest returned a verdict of accidental death. Corporal Walter James Acton also gave evidence. He was one of a group of soldiers traveling in a military lorry with canopied sides. Loney had complained of feeling unwell and put his head through the side of the canopy to throw up. Fusilier James Magill agreed with the evidence given.
On entering the town where their base was, the lorry gave a jolt and Loney fell back onto the floor of the lorry with blood on his face and clothes. The driver stopped and immediately brought the Fusilier to a doctor’s surgery and onwards to the local hospital. He had sustained fractures to the skull, jaw, and left arm and lost a lot of blood. Records suggest he may have struck his head on a tin military sign attached to an electrical pole by the roadside.
Thomas Loney’s grave is in Glenalina Extension, Section X, Grave 495 of Belfast City Cemetery, Belfast. His headstone bears the inscription:
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we remember him.