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 February 6th

Murphy, John Joseph

Date of Birth
Address
65 Faythe, Wexford
Service No.
287199
Rank
Air Mechanic
Regiment
Royal Air Force
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died from pneumonia at The Faythe.
Other Biographical Details
Son of John and Mary Murphy nee Doyle of 65 Faythe, Wexford.

Born on February 6th

Batterton, William

Date of Birth
Service No.
48624
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Enniskillen Fusiliers
8th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
France and Flanders, Killed in Action. Buried near Ypres
Other Biographical Details

Son of William and Lydia Batterton née Rickerby. Son of William Batterton, 57 Irish Street, Enniscorthy.

Doyle, Rev. Denis

Date of Birth
Address
Brideswell, Ballyellis, Co. Wexford
Rank
Chaplain
Regiment
Army Chaplains Department
2nd Battalion
Medals
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action in France
Other Biographical Details

Son of Owen and Mary Doyle née Donohoe. Buried Dive Copse British Cemetery, Sailly-Le-Sec, France.

Kearns, Thomas

Date of Birth
Service No.
5766
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
5th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died in Salonika
Other Biographical Details
Son of Thomas and Mary Kearns née Hamilton. Married Anastasia Roche 1913.

Patrick Blanch

Date of Birth
Alias
Blanche
Address
32 Bewley Street, New Ross.
Service No.
49033
Rank
Private
Regiment
Machine Gun Corps
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Salonika
Other Biographical Details

Son of John & Catherine Blanch née Hanrick. Husband of Mary Ann Blanch, 32 Bewley Street, New Ross.

Sample Records

Rossiter, Thomas

Date of Birth
Address
William Street, Wexford
Service No.
3095A
Rank
Seaman
Regiment
Royal Naval Reserve
HMS Hampshire
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Direct result of enemy action
Other Biographical Details

Son of Thomas Rossiter of William Street, Wexford.

Esmonde, John Henry Grattan

John Henry Grattan Esmonde
Date of Birth
Rank
Midshipman
Regiment
Royal Navy
HMS Invincible
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Invincible was sunk during the battle of Jutland.
Other Biographical Details

Son of Sir Thomas Henry Grattan Esmonde, Bart. (former Chairman Wexford Co. Co.) M.P. and Alice Barbara Donovan of Ballynastragh, Gorey, Co. Wexford.

Canavan, Michael

Date of Birth
Address
Kilcavan, Tara Hill, Gorey
Service No.
5872
Rank
Lance Corporal
Regiment
Irish Guards
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action, France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of Charles and Margaret Canavan née Smith. His father was a Metropolitan police Office. He lived Kilcavan, Tara Hill, Gorey with his uncle James Canavan. He was a Gaelic Leaguer and all Ireland Hornpipe champion in 1906 at the Wexford Feis and again the following year in Wicklow. Buried in the Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, Cuinchy , France.

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