PADRE NANGLE AND MONUMENTS

Newfoundland Memorial Park, Beaumont Hamel,
 Somme, France

Padre Thomas Nangle played a major part in the building of Newfoundland Memorial Park, Beaumont Hamel.  He was also a driving force behind the erection of our magnificent War Memorial in St John's.

Bowring Park, St John's

When speaking of memorials and monuments, Padre Nangle said that they were "Monuments to our Glorious Dead and to our just as Glorious Survivors.  They are monuments to the Mothers that bore such brave sons and the Land that bred them." 

St John's War Memorial

Whatever part of Newfoundland you are in tomorrow, 1st July, do your utmost to get out to your local War Memorial and honor them all.

REMEMBRANCE DAY 2016

POPPIES PAINTED BY HEATHER

Today, Remembrance Day 2016, we remember two priests with a connection to St Patrick’s Parish who served as chaplains in WWI and WWII.

Earlier this week, on 8^th November, Padre Thomas Nangle was recognised as a person of significance across Canada when a commemorative plaque was unveiled at Canadian Forces Station, Pleasantville.

Thomas Nangle was born in St John’s in 1889.  In 1913, after studies in Ireland, he was ordained a priest by Archbishop M F Howley at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in St John’s.  Father Nangle served St Patrick’s Parish from 1914 to 1916.  He enlisted in the Newfoundland Regiment and was its respected and well loved chaplain.  After the war, Padre Nangle supervised the exhumation of known graves and was responsible for the erection of the five Caribou Memorials across Europe.  Four are in France and one is in Belgium.  

NEWFOUNDLAND BATTLEFIELD MEMORIAL, GUEUDECOURT, SOMME, FRANCE

He was also the driving force behind the building of the War Memorial in St John’s. 

WAR MEMORIAL, ST JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND

Regarding Memorials, Padre Nangle was quoted as saying that they were “monuments to our glorious dead and to our just as glorious survivors.  They are monuments to the mothers that bore such brave sons and the land that bred them”. Padre Thomas Nangle rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In the 1920s he left the priesthood and settled in Rhodesia where he married and had four children.  He died there in January 1972.

I knew nothing of Fr Francis James Jackman until recently when Eleanor Dalton sent me a photo taken at St Patrick’s Convent more than 70 years ago.  Among a group of Presentation Nuns was a smiling priest in military uniform.  Eleanor didn’t know who the priest was so she sought the help of Frank Galgay. 

 

FR FRANCIS JAMES JACKMAN

Frank was able to tell Eleanor that the priest in question was Fr Francis James Jackman.  Fr Jackman was born in 1903.  During WWII, in 1941, he moved his residence to St Patrick’s. Around that time, Fr Jackman enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy.  He served as a Naval Chaplain for the duration of the war.  On 31^st December 1945 Fr Jackman was demobilised with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. 

After the war Fr Jackman returned to Newfoundland where he again took up duties as a parish priest.  From 1948 until 1977 he was parish priest of St Edwards Parish, Kelligrews.  He retired in 1977 and died four years later, in 1981.  The Knights of Columbus Fr Francis Jackman Council 9303 was formed in 1986 and is named in his honour.

MEMORIAL DAY IN NEWFOUNDLAND



THE FIGHTING NEWFOUNDLANDER

At Beaumont Hamel on 1^st July 1916 the Newfoundland Regiment was all but annihilated as they bravely went over the top only to be cut down in a hail of German fire.  General de Lisle, 29^th British Army Division said, “It was a magnificent display of trained and disciplined valour, and its assault only failed of success because dead men can advance no further.”   It was two weeks before the tragic news reached St John’s.  Not a family on the Island was untouched by the news for everyone had lost a relative, a friend or a neighbour.   Not a family on the Island would ever forget!

Since 1917, 1^st July has been observed as Memorial Day in Newfoundland.  As a sign of remembrance, Newfoundlanders wore a spray of blue Forget-me-nots on Memorial Day.

These days, 1^st July is celebrated as Canada Day and Newfoundland observes both Canada Day and Memorial Day.  So on this Canada Day weekend, I wish all St Patrick’s girls a very happy Canada Day.  I also wish you a thoughtful and very proud Memorial Day!

It is fitting today to remember Thomas Nangle, who has a connection with Memorial Day and with  St Patrick’s Parish.  There is even a tenuous link  with Nano Nagle, the foundress of the Presentation Sisters. 

The name “Nangle” is a variant spelling of the name “Nagle”.   “Nagle” is of Norman Irish origin and, after the Norman invasion of Ireland, the Nagles were granted large tracts of land in Cork and in north Connacht.  The Cork branch of the family used the “Nagle” spelling and the Connacht branch the “Nangle” spelling.  (I did warn you that the link was tenuous!)  

PADRE THOMAS NANGLE

Thomas Nangle was born in St John’s on 5^th September 1889.  He was educated at St Bonaventure’s College and, in 1909, young Tom went to Ireland to  commence studies for the priesthood.  On 29^th June 1913, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Tom Nangle was ordained in St John’s by Archbishop Howley.  Father Nangle served in various parishes at Bell Island, Topsail and St John’s.  From 1914 to 1916 the people of St Patrick’s Parish enjoyed the ministrations of Fr Nangle.  St Patrick’s was his last parish for shortly after the debacle of Beaumont Hamel, Fr Nangle was off to join his fellow Newfoundlanders as the Catholic Chaplain to the Newfoundland Regiment.

Chaplains don’t carry arms but Padre Nangle was side by side with the men, tending to the wounded, burying the dead, and encouraging the battle weary.  The Padre’s commitment to the men of every religious persuasion made him a popular figure and he was chosen to do some recruiting while on leave in Newfoundland.  Fr Nangle served bravely and unstintingly throughout the remainder of the War.  After the War, Padre Nangle was involved with the identification and re-interment of the bodies of the Newfoundlanders who had died in battle.  He was also the driving force behind the erection of the Newfoundland Memorial Park at Beaumont Hamel.

This proud, patriotic and brave Newfoundlander, Thomas Nangle, died in Rhodesia on 4^th January 1972.  Padre Thomas Nangle and the men of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment are worthy of remembrance every day, but especially today, 1^st July, Memorial Day in Newfoundland.

Some Memorial Day/Canada Day reading: