Worcestershire Regiment

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Sweetman, Michael James Joseph

Date of Birth
Address
Samberton Park, Richmond, Limerick.
Service No.
9980
Rank
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds - Ctesiphon, Bagdad, Iraq
Other Biographical Details

Son of Michael James and Margaret Sweetman nee Powell, Lamberton Park, Queens County.  Educated - Downside, London University, Sandhurst
Retired - prior to WWI. In 1914 he Returned to the colors (Worcestershire Regt.)
1914 - Wounded and M.I.D. in Flanders at Polygon Wood in October and was awarded 1914 Star and Bar, Victory Medal.
Attached - 2nd Dorset Regt for Persian Gulf Expedition (2ND in command)
Became Commanding Officer of 2nd Dorsetshire when Major, Acting Lt.Col. Radcliffe was wounded.
Led successful attacks on Turkish Redoubts during Battle of Ctesiphon. He was Mortally wounded during Battle when he was shot in the groin while leading his men at Ctesiphon.  Despite his injury he stayed with them.  He was evacuated after the battle on a hospital ship on the Tigris but died 3 days later before they reached Kut.
He is the 2nd Oldest person buried at Kut War Cemetary.

Major Sweetman had three sisters, all published authors (2 novelists and a Poet). His brother-in-law was Egerton Castle... author, swordsmen, captain of the epee and saber team at the 1908 Olympics. His uncle was John Sweetman was one of the founders of and 2nd President of Sinn Fein.

The Sweetman family were brewers but sold their brewery to Guinness in 1893.

He was put up for the D.S.O. three times.  All were downgraded to M.I.D. Buried Grave L9, Kut War Cemetery, Iraq.