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.

About

The Records

About

Contact Us

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 April 11th

Harte-Maxwell, Percival

Date of Birth
Address
Templeshannon, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Regiment
Connaught Rangers
Attached 1st Royal Irish Rifles
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action in France
Other Biographical Details

Son of Samuel and Edith Harte-Maxwell nee Carroll. Worked with Bank of Ireland Enniscorthy for four years prior to enlisting.

Holman, John James Paddy

Date of Birth
Service No.
155532
Rank
Chief Petty Officer
Regiment
Royal Navy
HMS Adventure
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died at sea from tuberculosis
Other Biographical Details

Son of James Dinness and Johanna ‘Annie’ Holman née Sandys. His father was in the Coast Guard. Parents, born in Cornwall, later resided at 9 Holland Park Road, Peverell, Mutley, Plymouth.

Born on April 11th

Dwyer, Owen

Date of Birth
Service No.
6701
Rank
Colour Sergeant
Regiment
King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died at Sea from shock 'owing to vibration of ship on torpedo attack by enemy when weak from Blackwater Fever' while sailing home on sick leave aboard steamship AKABA
Other Biographical Details

Son of Owen and Mary Dwyer nee Culleton. The family moved to Manchester.

Sample Records

Murphy, Albert

Date of Birth
Address
Newbridge, Co. Kildare
Service No.
27700
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
7th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action by gas in France
Other Biographical Details

Son of George and Mary Murphy née Keating. All the family were born in Wexford except Albert. Lived in Wexford since infancy. Named as Albert G. on the Census.

Symes, Thomas Arthur

Date of Birth
Address
Cross Patrick, Tinehely, Co.Wicklow
Service No.
14228
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Dublin Fusiliers
7th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of Dysentry at the Austrailian Hospital, Mudros, Greece.
Other Biographical Details

Seventh Son of Sandham John and Catherine Chamney Symes nee Swan of 'Hill View', Tinahely, Co.Wicklow. Educated privately Thomas was a bank clerk with Bank of Ireland. Buried in Portianos Military Cemetery, Greece. (Grave: I B 37)

Berry, Thomas

Date of Birth
Address
Tullow, Co.Carlow
Service No.
7253
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
France and Flanders, Killed in Action
Other Biographical Details

Husband of Margaret Jordan (Formally Berry). Eleven years service before been drafted to Flanders. Had been stationed in India. reported missing after the Battle of Mons. Commemorated on Panel 11 and 12, Le Touret Memorial, France. Date of death, 19th October, is the date that 2nd Royal Irish assaulted the town of Le Pilly, during the Battle of La Basse.

Explore the Records