Thomas 'Red' Cushing - Inniskilling & Irish Fusiliers

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by saintconor, Dec 21, 2015.

  1. saintconor

    saintconor Senior Member

    Anyone else heard the story of this Character?

    IRA, U.S. Army, Spanish Civil War, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Royal Irish Fusiliers. Boxer, Drinker, Pow. Served right through to the 1960's. Germany, Korea, Kenya.

    Can't find a shred of evidence except that in his book. Is it all true? Is any of it true?

    Conor
     
  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    From Ancestry:

    Thomas J. "Red " Cushing
    Birth: 8 Oct 1909 - Tipperary, Ireland
    Death: 13 Nov 1981 - Cork, Ireland
    Marriage: Jul-Aug-Sep 1946 (Jul 1946) - Tipperary, Ireland

    Marriage photo:
    9ff81290-3a7b-470d-a23c-f1e42cdc5380.jpg

    UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949 for T Cushing
    Palestine 1945-1948
    31794_221608-01020.jpg

    A short story of his life from Ancestry:


    Thomas Cushin (according to his birth certificate) was born in Tipperary town and lived with his grandmother in Carrick-on-Suir, Ireland.
    Thomas was an IRA messenger at age 10, and imprisoned for revolutionary activity at age 14. He joined the army in 1926 and was still in the British Army in 1962. He was also in the US army, fighting in Spain, and embroiled in five wars. He was held prisoner in World War II. After a lifetime with the American and British army, he wrote a book about his exploits called Soldier for Hire (The Many Army Careers of Red Cushing.) in 1962.
    In the book he talks of marrying an Irish nurse called NANGLE. In 1962 his wife and 2 children were living in East Grinstead, England.
    Bridget died when Thomas was quite young and he went to live with his grandmother who was a St John. Thomas had 1 brother and 2 sisters. When he was 16 or so he emigrated to America to live with an aunt and uncle along with one of his sisters and his brother John. He joined the American army he eventually ended up back in the UK and his sister and brother stayed in America.
    My Aunt Bridget (my father’s sister) stayed in Tipperary when her siblings went to America . I do know that my dad, his brother John and sister Helen (Ellen) went to live with an Aunt and Uncle who owned a business in Brooklyn in New York . My father joined the American army, when I don’t know but he did fight in the Spanish civil war on the American side. His brother John joined the American air force and was in England during the 2nd World War, he married Elizabeth (Betty) and went on to have 4 children. Michael, Elizabeth, Kathleen and Richard who died at the age of 16. As far as I am aware they still live in Brooklyn . Their sister married a man with the surname of Guffy she had no children and lived in Brownsville Texas . My Aunt Bridget never married. The only thing that is really strange is that I do know that Hayes is a family name on my father's side but in what connection I'm not sure.
    Thomas emigrated from Ireland to the USA with his brother John and his sister Ellen on 17 Sep 1926.


    Might be worth obtaining a copy of his book highlighted in red above

    TD
     
    Guy Hudson likes this.
  3. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    2 RIF would place him as a PoW after the doomed Battle of Leros in Nov 43.

    FdeP
     
  4. saintconor

    saintconor Senior Member

    Thank you both for replying. The ancestry post by his son??? Has provided a lot of new information which is great.

    And thanks to the medal roll I think I now have a service number.

    It looks like I've been able to locate a birth and marriage record but still struggling with some things.

    Unable to locate him in POW records. Can't find him in 1911 Irish census. Passenger lists. 1930 U.S. Census. So still proving elusive in some areas.

    As for the book, I have a copy at home hence my interest.

    Thanks again

    Conor
     
  5. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Possible marriage details


    Ireland Civil Registration Marriages Index, 1845-1958

    Name: Thomas Cushing
    Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep, 1946
    Registration district: Tipperary, Ireland
    Volume: 3
    Page Number: 399
    FHL Film Number: 101580
    Records on Page:
    Name
    Mary Bridget Nolan
    Patrick Barrett
    Mary Hennessy
    Thomas Cushing
    Thomas Cushion
    Patrick Quinlivan
    Mary Kavanagh
    Josephine Nagle
    Patrick Joseph Nagle

    TD

    edited to add:
    A link to some more info which you may or may not already have - http://www.reocities.com/IrelandSCW/ibvol-CushingMem.htm
     
  6. Stella Dwyer

    Stella Dwyer New Member

    Hi there, my mother often spoke of Tom Cushing and also Nanny St John (but pronounced the name as Singeon). My Mother's name Ellen Touhy she passed 2012. Born in Tipperary. Her mother, my grandmother, was named Margaret, maiden name Hayes. Married Michael Touhy. Margaret's mother died in childbirth. My grandfather Hayes had red hair. I wonder if that is of interest.
     
  7. Richard Ward

    Richard Ward New Member

    This is my Grandad.
    He escaped the POW camp 3 times in total. Once cought the third time the put him in a maximum security prison sharing a cell with Stirling's son. He was the last person to see him alive.
     
  8. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Richard.

    Who was Stirling and what was so important about his son?

    Regards

    Frank
     
  9. Richard Ward

    Richard Ward New Member

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