Welcome to Wexford Great War Dead

During the Great War, 1914 – 1918, a large number of men from Co. Wexford fought and died in the conflict which has been described as  'the war to end all wars'. This conflict resulted in a catastrophic loss of life and had dire and lasting consequences for generations across Europe.

In Wexford, the local newspapers of the period are full of the obituaries of those men and women, military and civilian, who died as a result of the war.

Until recently, it was believed that just over 500 men from Co. Wexford, who had enlisted in the British military, died fighting in the land war on the Western Front, Middle East and at Gallipoli. Research now shows this number drastically understates the loss of life for County Wexford.

Due to advances in digital archiving and on-line research tools, we now have access to Naval Service, Royal Flying Corp and Mercantile Marine records, as well as digitised birth, marriage and death records for the period. These advances in technology and research methods allow us to develop a fuller picture of the devastation caused to families and communities in County Wexford by The Great War.

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Where have all the young men gone?


When we scan the Census forms
In twenty twenty one and wonder,
Where have all the young men gone?
Then we remember.  Ypres, Mons,
And the Somme.

They went to war a hundred years ago
Brothers, Fathers, and Uncles, we never grew to know.
Where have all the young men gone?
They lay at rest in Ypres, Mons,
And the Somme

The Volunteers answered Redmond's call,
When Britain's back, was against the  wall.
Never returned to where they came from
Now at peace in Ypres, Mons,
And the Somme.

Today crowds who stand and silently wait, for the
Last post and reveille, at the Mennin Gate.
Read men’s names and the regiments they came from
Who lie in graves, unmarked, at Ypres, Mons
And the Somme.

That mournful sound as buglers play.
The Last Post in Mennin at the end of day.
Their memory in towns and villages will live on.
As they rest quietly now, In Gallipolli, Ypres, Mons,
And the Somme.

To commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the end of The Great War  1914--1918. In Memory of. Pte Thomas Byrne. 1900. 6th Bn. Royal Irish Regt. Killed in Action at Passchendale, Ypres. 5th August 1917.
Tom O'Byrne, (Nephew) August 2018.

Died on October 22nd

Crowther, William

Date of Birth
Service No.
10767
Rank
Corporal
Regiment
Royal Irish Fusiliers
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of William and Julia Crowther nee Walton of 5 Graham's Cottages, Ballybough Road, Dublin.

Singleton, William

Date of Birth
Service No.
7556
Rank
Lance Corporal
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died from wounds France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details
Son of Richard and Sarah Singleton nee Neville of 5 Back Street, Wexford.

Tierney, Patrick

Date of Birth
Address
Ballask, Kilmore
Service No.
10310
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died at Sea
Other Biographical Details
Son of Thomas and Johanna Tierney nee Dunne of Ballask, Kilmore.

Born on October 22nd

Carthy, James

Date of Birth
Address
12 Shannon Hill, Enniscorthy
Service No.
4449
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
At Home. Medical discharge due to aggravated TB 15/07/1916
Other Biographical Details
Son of James Carthy of 12 Shannon Hill, Enniscorthy.

Coady, James

Date of Birth
Address
8 Flint Street, Bootle, Lancashire
Rank
Fireman
Regiment
Mercantile Marine
SS Lusitania (Liverpool)
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
The Lusitania was sunk by German Submarine U-20.
Other Biographical Details

Lived with his niece Mrs Rose O'Neill, 8 Flint Street, Bootle, Lancashire.  Buried in Cobh Old Church Cemetery, Co. Cork.

Connolly, Patrick

Date of Birth
Address
The Faythe, Wexford
Service No.
1394U
Rank
Stoker
Regiment
Royal Naval Reserve
HMS Pheasant
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Direct result of enemy action. Lost his life at sea
Other Biographical Details

Husband of Elizabeth Connolly of The Faythe, Wexford. Left five children

Connors, Philip

Date of Birth
Service No.
3985
Rank
Private
Regiment
Leinster Regiment
3rd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died in Cork during training.
Other Biographical Details
Married Mary Ann Murphy and they were at Hospital Lane, Enniscorthy, in 1911. Died in Cork from heart failure due to excessive alcoholism.

Dunne, James

Date of Birth
Address
Parnell Street, Wexford
Service No.
371340
Rank
Company Sergeant Major
Regiment
London Regiment
8th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died at Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot, Hampshire
Other Biographical Details

Son of Colour-Sergeant Thomas Dunne. Married Kate Delaney in Wexford, 17 October 1904

Fitzpatrick, Patrick

Date of Birth
Address
Askamore
Service No.
77557
Rank
Driver
Regiment
Royal Field Artillery
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of Jeremiah and Kate Fitzpatrick nee Nolan on Ballinaclea, Co. Wicklow

Groves, Charles Henry

Date of Birth
Address
Wexford
Service No.
L/6848
Rank
Sergeant
Regiment
Middlesex Regiment
4th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action in France
Other Biographical Details

Son of Harriett Groves, Chipping Norton. Husband of Hannah Mary Groves nee Breen, Upper Dargle Road, Bray. His file is on Ancestry up to 1913 when he left the army. He was mobilised at the beginning of the war, so may well have been residing in Wexford.

Hanlon, Henry

Date of Birth
Service No.
13570
Rank
Sergeant Major
Regiment
Royal Dublin Fusiliers
5th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died from nephritis at Wexford County Infirmary.
Other Biographical Details

In 1911 Census he was caretaker at the Military Barracks, Wexford. He and his wife, Mary Hanlon née McGrath both lived in Killurn, Glynn Co. Wexford at the time of their marriage  in 1897 (Oct 9th)

Holligan, John

Date of Birth
Address
Widnes, Lancashire
Service No.
10613
Rank
Private
Regiment
South Lancashire Regiment
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds in Belgium
Other Biographical Details

Son of John Holligan. Married Mary Moorhouse, at Enniscorthy, 9 January 1904. Previously served with the Royal Irish Regiment. His widow was later Mrs Mary Tyghe.

Sample Records

Moore, William

Date of Birth
Address
Bagenalstown, Co Carlow.
Service No.
10534
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action Salonika
Other Biographical Details

Son of Laurence and Anastasia Moore nee Fowler.

Smith, James

Photo of Jamse Smith as a young boy. cira 1900.
Date of Birth
Alias
Smyth
Address
Wexford
Service No.
12504
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died from wounds. Wound to the head from shell at Beaumont Hamel 01.07.1916
Other Biographical Details

Son of James and Anastatia Smith née Saunders of Wexford.
James Smith and Anastatia Saunders were married in Wexford where they had three children.  They left Wexford for Liverpool around 1882, where their son Michael was born.  They returned to Wexford around 1885. James was born in 1890.

His Battalion was part of 87 Brigade, 29th Division that attacked Beaumont Hamel 01/07/1916.  This is likely when James was wounded in the head by a shell.  He was evacuated to Sunderland Infirmary where his sister Bridget took care of him until he died 29/07/1916.
James is buried alongside his brother , Michael in Ford cemetery, Liverpool. 

Breen, James

Date of Birth
Alias
Brien
Address
Ross Road, Enniscorthy.
Service No.
5387
Rank
Private
Regiment
Irish Guards
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action in France during The Battle of Festubert (15–25 May 1915)
Other Biographical Details

The son of the late James, and Margaret Breen née Habernathy, of 66 Ross Road, Enniscorthy. Brother of Thomas Breen (4370). Prior to enlisting on the 18th September 1914, James was employed as a shop assistant at Mr. W.K. Stamp's, Market Square, Enniscorthy. 2nd Division, in which Breen's battalion was serving, lost over 5,000 men.

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