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 October 28th

Nolan, Patrick

Date of Birth
Address
Carrick-on-Suir
Service No.
182
Rank
Sergeant
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died from tetanus
Other Biographical Details
Brother of Margaret Hanlon of Upeer Bally Richard Road, Carrick-on-Suir, Co.Tipperary. Son of Richard and Kate Nolan née Delahunty

Power, John Joseph

Date of Birth
Address
West derby Road, Liverpool.
Service No.
31550
Rank
Private
Regiment
Kings Liverpool Regiment
4th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action at the Somme
Other Biographical Details

Son of Laurance Power of Coolamaine and Annie née Reilly of Charlotte Street, Wexford.

Redmond, John

Address
Rathaspick, Co.Wexford
Service No.
4422
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details
Sole legatee was his brother William at Forrestalstown, Clonroche.

Born on October 28th

Berry, Patrick

Date of Birth
Service No.
7638
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds sustained in battle during the Capture of Jerusalem, Palestine.
Other Biographical Details

Son of John and Mary Berry nee Sullivan of Clifford Street, Wexford. Brother of Private Richard Berry, killed four months previous. Buried in Ramleh War Cemetery in Israel. 

Sample Records

Dowse, William Arthur Clarence

Date of Birth
Rank
Lieutenant
Regiment
Cheshire Regiment
11th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action, Somme, France
Other Biographical Details

Son of Dr. Thomas James and Katherine Elizabeth Dowse nee Trouton of 14 Lower George Street, Wexford. 

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.

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.

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