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                    Sligo Champion
                      13 May 1916

           In Memoriam.

KILCULLEN- In loving remembrance of
Robert Kilcullen, Chief Petty Office,
H.M.S., "Goliath," who lost his life when
his ship was sunk in the dardenelles,
May 13th, 1915.

When sore afflictions crush the soul,
   And riven is every worthy tie,
Thy heart must cling to God alone,
    He'll wipe the tear from every eye.

Oh! never be our sould cast down,
    Nor let our hearts despondent sigh,
Assured that God whose name is love
    Will wipe the tear from every eye.

For twenty years he had served the Empire,
    On ocean billow mid rock and foam,
his best he gave to his King and country,
    And is still the idol of his home.

Twelve months today since Jesus called him
    And to his soul these words expressed:
"You've done your duty to God and nation,
    Come enter now your eternal rest."

—Inserted by his sorrowing widow, F. Kilcullen,
Dromore West.


When forced to part with those we love,
   Hoping to meet tomorrow,
We still a sort of anguish prove
   And feel a parting sorrow.

But ah! what words can paint the tears,
   When parting thus we sever,
Perhaps to part for months, for years,
   On this earth to part forever.

But in the world that's yet to come,
   That grand and glorious home,
We're sure to meet him there one day
   At the bright eternal throne.

—Inserted by his loving sister-in-law, Annie.




HMS Goliath, pictured below, was a Royal Navy battleships commissioned in 1900. She served in the Far East on the China Station until 1905 and had been mothballed prior to the outbreak of the First World War. Then she was returned to full commission and took part in operations against German East Africa.

From March 1915, she was part of the Dardanelles Campaign from March 1915. On 13 May 1915 Goliath was sunk in Morto Bay off Cape Helles by two torpedoes from the Turkish torpedo boat destroyer Muâvenet-i Millîye, which was manned by a combined German and Turkish crew, drowning 570 of her 700 crew members, including her captain, Thomas Lawrie Shelford.

I can find no Robert Kilcullen in Sligo in the 1901 or 1911 census. Presumably he was at sea at both times, "For twenty years he had served the Empire". The Fanny Kilcullen, a midwife aged 29, in Camcuill, Buncrowey, County Sligo in the 1911 census is presumably his wife. She had been married for six years and had no children. She was a member of the Church of Ireland.

Fanny Kilcullen appears to be the only Kilcullen in County Sligo in the 1911 census whose religion was Church of Ireland. This suggests that Robert was or had been a Catholic and that it had been a mixed marriage. She is most likely to be Fanny Brett, daughter of Henry Brett of Barnacoghil, Templeboy North, County Sligo. She is the only 19-year old Fanny in Sligo in the 1901 census.

 
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