Michael's service record states Michael was born in St James parish, Dublin. [Barry Linehan, a researcher for the Mallon district in Co Cork, Ireland, however has discovered that Michael was born in Australia. His family returning to Mallow Circa 1894/95 - From the Ireland census 1901 (Mallow North Urban)]. He enlisted into the R.A.M.C. on 4th September 1914. He was 25 years and 300 days old, a Chemist by trade, and living in Dublin at the time. He gained promotion to corporal on 26th November 1914, whilst the unit were stationed at Tweseldown, and then on 8th January 1915, when the unit were at Crookham, he was promoted to Sergeant. Michael embarked at Southampton on 20th May - disembarking at Havre he entered the war in France on 21st May 1915. He gained promotion to Staff Serjeant on 27th June 1916 in the field. (Service record) He was killed when the unit was in retreat and proceeding along the same roads as the as the' Old Contemptible' 2nd Corps took in the retreat from Mons in August 1914. They had nearly reached Noyon and were congratulating themselves that they were almost outside the maelstrom, when a German airman dropped a bomb right in the middle of them as they halted by the roadside. The bomb fell on the hard road, killing eight men - a French interpreter, Three A.S.C. and four R.A.M.C. The other R.A.M.C. were Q.M.S. Cattrall, Sandy Gordon, and Billy Raines (Taken from the book ‘With the Forty Fourths’) Michael was the son of Cornelius and Kate Hegarty of 49 Main Street, Mallow, Co. Cork.