There have been rather strange rumours; (hush hush ‘goings-on’ even); emanating from the picturesque village of Kilcommon, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, over the past six to eight months. United Kingdom (UK) Metropolitan Police’s Royalty and Specialist Protection Command Officers have been observed, visiting the homes of elderly people and local historians.
We can now confirm, thanks to Kilcommon historians Mr Paddy Ryan and Parish Priest Very Rev. Daniel Woods, that these officers were attempting to locate the descendants of Lord Herbert Kitchener’s once Personal Protection Officer. These visiting officers were attempting to locate the descendants of a former native, named as Detective Sergeant Matthew McLoughlin, ahead of the Centenary of his death, latter which occurred during the First World War.
The UK Specialist Protection Squad, we understand, now intend to honour Detective Sergeant Matthew McLoughlin, by naming their new Offices after him, when they move from their current premises at Scotland Yard, later this year.
Sergeant McLoughlin, was born on a hillside in the townsland of Foilnadrough, a mile to the west of Kilcommon village; latter address located in the very scenic Slieve Felim Mountains (See Video above), some 32.2 km from Thurles via the R503. Matthew was born on February 6th 1879, to parents and local farmers Michael and Bridget McLoughlin, the seventh of 14 children.
Sergeant McLoughlin died, along with the British Secretary of State for War, Field Marshal Lord Herbert Kitchener (“Lord Kitchener of Khartoum,” – himself an Irish man, born in Ballylongford near Listowel, County Kerry), and some 734 others on June 5th 1916. The HMS Hampshire was sailing to Russia, carrying Field Marshal Lord Kitchener, when it is believed to have struck a mine laid by a German submarine. The cruiser sank with heavy loss of life, including Kitchener and his staff near Orkney; an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland.
Matthew McLoughlin had joined the Metropolitan Police Service on September 17th 1900, after moving to London in January of that same year. He went on to join the Specialist Protection Unit in 1904; latter whose dedicated job it was to shield Royalty and UK Government Ministers.
McLoughlin married Margaret Amelie McLoughlin; possibly a lady of French origin (née Quernel, Queruel or Quesnel), in Kensington, west London, on January 13th 1912. The couple had one son, Michael Paul McLoughlin, born some three months later on April 19th 1912, in Wootton-St-Lawrence, west of Basingstoke; part of the Shire County of Hampshire.
Specialist Protection Command Officers now believe that Matthew’s son, Michael Paul, may have travelled to Caracas, in Venezuela. It appears that someone, bearing that same full name, applied for an overseas passport in the past.
There has to be close descendants out there, so if anyone has any new information on Sergeant McLoughlin they should please contact:- scott.hamer@met.police.uk and / or richard.roe@met.police.uk.
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