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 July 1st

Drury, George

Date of Birth
Address
Cootehill, Co. Cavan
Service No.
20240
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Fusiliers
9th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details
Son of William and Anne Drury née Bradley.

Goodwin, Michael Andrew

Date of Birth
Address
Wexford
Service No.
13521
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Fusiliers
9th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of Michael and Sarah Goodwin née Ewens.

Harris, John

Service No.
22211
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Dublin Fusiliers
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action in France
Other Biographical Details

In his will he left everything to his guardian Miss Evelyn K. Sheehy, a grocer at The Square, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick.

Mangan, Andrew

Date of Birth
Service No.
G/1102
Rank
Private
Regiment
Middlesex Regiment
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action, France
Other Biographical Details

Son of William and Catherine Mangan nee Furlong of 3 Abbey Street, Wexford. 

Murphy, Daniel

Date of Birth
Address
The Strand, Middlesex, London.
Service No.
P S/2911
Rank
Private
Regiment
Middlesex Regiment
16th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of John and Catherine Murphy of Kellystown, Adamstown. Commemorated on shared headstone in Hawthron Ridge Cemetery No1, Beaumont-Hamel France.

Born on July 1st

Murphy, Daniel

Date of Birth
Address
The Strand, Middlesex, London.
Service No.
P S/2911
Rank
Private
Regiment
Middlesex Regiment
16th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of John and Catherine Murphy of Kellystown, Adamstown. Commemorated on shared headstone in Hawthron Ridge Cemetery No1, Beaumont-Hamel France.

Robert Devereux

Date of Birth
Alias
Alexander Howie
Address
6 Patrick Place, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford.
Service No.
43210
Rank
Private
Regiment
Machine Gun Corps
72nd Company
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action
Other Biographical Details

Son of Laurence and Susan Devereux nee Farrell. His father, a labourer, died from tuberculosis 21/12/1901.

His mother married Peter Walsh 10/10/1906. Robert enlisted at Dublin under the alias Alexander Howie as 9468 in 1st Leinster Regiment, stating that he was born in Dublin. He went to France 19/12/1914 and was later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps.

Commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.

 

Sample Records

Bolger, John

Date of Birth
Address
Kilmuckridge
Service No.
5667
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds victim of poisonous gas in France.
Other Biographical Details

Son of Thomas and Bridget Bolger nee Redmond. Married Bridget Whelan. No children. Well known in Gaelic and athletic circles. Buried in St Sever Cemetery Extension, France.

Roche, Michael Joseph

Date of Birth
Address
Mount Garrett Lane, New Ross
Service No.
10309
Rank
Rifleman
Regiment
Royal Irish Rifles
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action, France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of Mrs Stasia Roche of Mount Garrett Lane, New Ross. Photograph in the Enniscorthy Guardian. Son of Luke and Anastasia Roche nee Waters. His father was a labourer.

Whelan, Michael

Date of Birth
Address
Rathaspick, Co. Wexford
Service No.
8917
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action during the battle of Le Pilly on October 19, 1914. His body was never recovered but his name is listed on the Le Touret Memorial in the Pas de Calais region of northern France.
Other Biographical Details

Son of John Whelan, a labourer and Elizabeth née Carroll. No known grave. His name is inscribed on the Le Touret Monument in Pas de Calais.

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