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.

Born on November 28th

Forde, Frank

Date of Birth
Address
Wexford
Service No.
26437
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Dublin Fusiliers
10th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Grievously wounded during the Battle of the Somme and died while being brought back to the trenches for medical attention.
Other Biographical Details

Born John Francis, son of John and Margaret Forde nee Rourke.  His father, born in Co. Galway, was a constable in the RIC and later an insurance agent. His mother was born in Co. Wexford. Later resided at Patrick Square, Wexford.
A clerical worker in the Pierce Ironworks Foundry in Wexford, Frank joined up aged 16. In early August 1916, he arrived in France and fought at the Battle of the Somme. However, just a few weeks before his 17th birthday, Frank was grievously wounded during the Battle of the Somme and died while being brought back from the trenches for medical attention. His platoon commander, Lieutenant A.W. Henchy wrote to Frank's parents and called him 'a fine courageous fellow and a gallant soldier of whom his family should be proud'. Frank was buried in Trachee de Mecknes Cemetary in the Pas de Calais in France. In his military will, he left everything he possessed to his mother.

Mc Grath, Martin

Date of Birth
Service No.
265797
Rank
Private
Regiment
Scottish Rifles
7th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action Egypt
Other Biographical Details
Son of James and Julia McGrath nee Bennett of 8 Bishop Street, Anderston, Glasgow.

Sample Records

Barton, Charles Erskine

Date of Birth
Alias
Ernie
Address
Ruane, New Ross
Rank
Captain
Regiment
Royal Irish Rifles
4th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died from gas poisoning at a military hospital in France. Buried at Pas de Calais.
Other Biographical Details

Son of C.W.Barton, D.L. of Glendalough House, Annamoe, Co. Wicklow. Husband of Norah Deane Barton, 4 Mount Pleasant Villas, Bray, Co. Wicklow. Brother of IRA officer, Sinn Fein member and Anglo-Irish Treaty signatory, Robert Barton, who also was an officer in Royal Irish Rifles. Son of Charles William Barton and Agnes Alexandra Frances (née Childers). He was raised at Glendalough House with his Childers cousins, including the famed Irish Nationalist Robert Erskine Childers. In 1903 Ernie married Norah Grace Greene of Bank House in County Wicklow, making their home in Oldcourt, Wexford. While Ernie was leading his men in the trench warfare in France, his mother Agnes passed away. It's unknown if the news ever reached Ernie. Just two weeks later, he was killed in a German gas attack while entrenched on French soil. Captain Charles Erskine Barton, Royal Irish Rifles, is buried with his fellow soldiers, both Irish and English, at the Terlincthun British Military Cemetery in France. His younger brother Thomas is also buried on French soil with Irish soldiers and English soldiers in a British military cemetery.

Redmond, William Hoey Kearney

Date of Birth
Alias
Willie Redmond.
Address
Glenbrook, Delgany, Co.Wicklow and Palace Manshions, Kensington, London.
Rank
Major
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
6th Battalion
Medals
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of Wound received in an attack at Wytschaete Wood in Belgium after being injured by a shell.
Other Biographical Details

Husband of Eleanor Redmond. Nationalist Member of Parliament for Wexford since 1884. Awarded the Legion of Honour (France). One of the rare people to be buried abroad during WW1 in a coffin. Son of William Archer and Mary Redmond née Hoey. Younger brother of John E. Redmond MP and Leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party.

Breen, Thomas

Date of Birth
Address
4 Patrick's Place, Enniscorthy.
Service No.
4370
Rank
Lance Corporal
Regiment
Manchester Regiment
11th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Wounded while fighting in the Dardanellas. Died at Sea on hospital ship enroute to Malta
Other Biographical Details

The son of James and Margaret Breen née Habernathy of 66 Ross Rd, Enniscorthy. Brother of James Breen (4387) Irish Guards, 1st Battalion, who was killed less than fours months earlier in France during The Battle of Festubert (15–25 May 1915. Husband of Margaret Breen née Nolan of 4 Patrick's Place, Enniscorthy. Thomas left a window and two children. Remembered on Panel 158 - 170, Helles Memorial, Turkey.

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