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 December 18th

Comerford, Laurence

Date of Birth
Address
5 Presentation Row, Waterford
Rank
Able Seaman
Regiment
Mercantile Marine
SS Coningbeg (Glasgow)
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Torpedoed by German Submarine U-62
Other Biographical Details
Son of Patrick and Catherine Comerford née Foley. Son of Catherine Comerford and the late Patrick Comerford. Husband of Anastasia Comerford of 5 Presentation Row, Waterford. Brother of Able Seaman Patrick Comerford who drowned in 1941.

Hornick, Augustus

Date of Birth
Alias
Hawnick
Service No.
4299117
Rank
Private
Regiment
Labour Corps
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died at Home
Other Biographical Details

Youngest son of William Thomas and Mary Anne Hornick nee Edmonds of Wexford.

Hornick, John Augustus

Date of Birth
Address
40 Abbey Street, Wexford.
Service No.
429917
Rank
Private
Regiment
Labour Corps
296th Labour Company
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died at Dundee Military Hospital, Scotland.
Other Biographical Details

Son of William Thomas and Mary Anne Hornick nee Edmonds, Abbey Street, Wexford. His father was a master gardener.

Whitty, Stephen

Date of Birth
Address
31 Roanmore Road, Ballybricke, Waterford
Rank
Able Seaman
Regiment
Mercantile Marine
SS Conningbeg (Glasgow)
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Torpedoed by German Submarine U-62.
Other Biographical Details
Son of Thomas and the late Anastasia Whitty nee Hennessy. Husband of Margaret Whitty of 31 Roanmore Road, Ballybricke, Waterford.

Born on December 18th

Daly, James ,J.

Date of Birth
Service No.
1986
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
6th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds in Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of Thomas and Bridget Daly nee Connolly of Irishtown, New Ross. Brother of 2130 Joseph Daly.

Doyle, Peter

Date of Birth
Address
70 Dryden Street, Liverpool
Rank
Leading Fireman
Regiment
Mercantile Marine
SS Lusitania (Liverpool)
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Lusitania was sunk by German Submarine U-20.
Other Biographical Details

Son of Laurance and the late Ann Doyle (née Hayes). Husband of Bridget Doyle née Kelly of 70 Dryden Street, Liverpool. Commemorated at the Tower Hill Memorial.  Brother of John who also died on the SS Lusitania.

Evoy, Michael

Date of Birth
Address
Paradise Row, Wexford.
Service No.
5632
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Dublin Fusiliers
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action Gallipoli
Other Biographical Details

Son of John and Mary Evoy nee Moore

Keane, John

Date of Birth
Address
Holman Hill
Service No.
40461
Rank
Private
Regiment
South Lancashire Regiment
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action in France
Other Biographical Details

Son of Michael and Catherine 'Kate' Keane nee Quinn. His father was a stonemason.

Potts, Edward Joseph

Date of Birth
Address
33 Upper John Street, Wexford
Service No.
9062
Rank
Private
Regiment
Kings Liverpool Regiment
4th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of John and Catherine Potts nee Brien of 33 Upper John Street, Wexford. 
3 sons killed. A 4th son, Thomas (Royal Naval Reserve) survived the War.

Sample Records

Beatty, Charles Harold Longfield

Date of Birth
Address
Borodale, Enniscorthy
Rank
Major
Regiment
Special Lists
Staff
Medals
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died Undergoing Surgery, Atherstone, England on 17th May 1917, aged 47.
Other Biographical Details

Eldest son of the late Captain David Longfield and Catherina Edith Beatty [nee Chaine], of Oakfield, Atherstone.  Husband of Lucy Alice Beatty, born c1869 at Western Port, Australia. ADC to General Sir Edwin Alderson, Commander of Canadian Expeditionary Force and attached to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Older brother of  Admiral of the Fleet David Earl Beatty, P.C., G.C.B. and brother of Captain Richard George Beatty.  https://www.nnwfhs.org.uk/catch-all/first-world-war-centenary-2/men-of-ww1-members-detailed-pages/1355-maj-chl-beatty

 

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.

Flanagan Thomas

Date of Birth
Address
Bullawn, Co. Wexford
Service No.
21651
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Dublin Fusiliers
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action in France
Other Biographical Details

Son of John and Mary Flanagan nee Bolger of 13 Bullawn, New Ross, Co. Wexford.

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