Benjamin Norman was my grandfather.

He was born at 14 Summerhill Parade, Dublin on 05 July 1877, the son of Benjamin Michael and Annie Palmer. He was baptised at St Agatha's, North William Street on 26 July. The Godparents were Michael Charles Maguire (possibly a relative - an uncle?) and Frances Coates.

Although his birth certificate gives his name as Benjamin Norman, Ben's baptismal record refers to him as Norman Michael Charles, and gives his father's name as Benjamin Norman Palmer. However, I am certain that both records refer to the same person and that there were no twins involved. Strange.

Ben was one of four children, the others being George Christopher, Edward Joseph and Anne Mary. He lived at 26 Lower Gloucester Street (now called Sean Macdermott Street) on the edge of Dublin's infamous Monto Town. Subsequently the family went to 21 Charleville Terrace, North Strand. About 1886, they moved to 25 Portland Row, Dublin.

He was an Accountant, who worked in Dublin, Belfast and Derry, where he had an office in Castle Street, off Shipquay Street, near The Diamond (where his name is inscribed on the War Memorial).

When Ben moved to Belfast, he lived in Salisbury Street. His intention was " .. to give Catholics jobs .. ". He married Josephine Loughnan at the Holy Rosary Church in Belfast on 05 August 1900. They had six children, Benny, Margaret ("Maisie"), Anne ("Doe"), twins Olive and Muriel and Florence.

Sadly, Florence died in 1913, and Muriel must also passed have away around the same time, as the Weekly Irish Times (see below) reported that, on his death, Benjamin left only four children.

The family lived at 22 Avonbeg Street, Clifton, Belfast before moving to 39 Sandhurst Gardens, Belfast in 1902. About 1903 they moved to 4 Grafton Terrace, Derry. In the 1911 Census the family was living in Castle Street, Derry, adjacent to his office. By 1914, Ben and Josephine were living about one hundred yards away at 17 High Street, in the heart of the Bogside.

Ben volunteered to join the Army Service Corps at the outbreak of The Great War, enlisting in Belfast on 05 August 1914. He was given service number SS/1462 and posted to "A" Company. He died in uniform only a few weeks later on 19 September 1914.

The Irish Times reported his death as follows:

DERRY SOLDIER KILLED ON THE LINE

Private B. Palmer, of A Company, Army Service Corps, stationed at Aldershot was found cut to pieces on the Great Western Railway main line at Goring-on-Thames in the early hours of yesterday morning. The carriage door of a train from Paddington to Birkenhead was found open by the guard at Didcot, and in the compartment were found a rifle and kit. How the deceased man fell from the train is at present a mystery, and the police are investigating the matter. It is thought that Palmer joined the train at Reading. His home was at Londonderry. The inquest will be held on Monday.

The Weekly Irish Times went into more detail after the Inquest:

Benjamin Norman Palmer, who recently met with a fatal accident in England, was a son of Mr. B. N. Palmer, of Dublin.  He was well known in the City, where he had practiced as an accountant before going to Derry.

At the time of his death he was engaged as a special military clerk, and was under orders to proceed from Aldershot to Warwick, to be attached to the Record Office there. He entered the train at Reading, and was afterwards found lying mutilated on the line. The jury at the inquest, which was held at South Stoke, were of the opinion that Palmer, having been asleep, must have opened the carriage door in mistake for that of a lavatory, and have fallen out.

His funeral, which took place at the Oxfordshire village on Tuesday last, was of a military character, and was attended by very many of the people of the district. Mr. Palmer left a widow and four children.

The Diamond War Memorial site added: (Note the address. His wife and children were living at 17 High Street, adjacent to Harvey Street)

At the inquest on Private Benjamin Norman Palmer, whose address was given as 5, Harvey Street, Londonderry, it was proved he opened the door of an express train from Aldershot and stepped out, thinking he was entering the lavatory. Another train severed both his legs. Among his belongings were found a certificate for proficiency in French, English, and shorthand. A verdict of accidental death was returned.

Benjamin is buried at St Andrews Church, South Stoke, Oxfordshire, England (his grave is at the extreme right of the photo above).