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 April 24th

Bishop, William

Date of Birth
Service No.
4498
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
France and Flanders, Killed in Action
Other Biographical Details

Son of John and Catherine Bishop née Hayden, Castlebridge. Later resided in Hayestown, Co. Wexford. Killed in Flanders, Second Battle of Ypres (22 April-25 May, 1915) in which 1st Royal Irish Regiment, serving in 27th Division, were a part.

Breen, Joseph

Date of Birth
Address
Tullow, Co.Carlow
Service No.
4660
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
France and Flanders, Killed in Actionin Flanders, Second Battle of Ypres (22 April-25 May, 1915)
Other Biographical Details

Son of Moses & Annie Breen née Doyle of Birkenhead. Brother of John J Breen (7288)

Cullen, Maurice

Date of Birth
Address
Enniscorthy.
Service No.
10614
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of Robert and Mary Cullen nee Brien, Irish Street, Enniscorthy. Brother of 8112 Myles Cullen and 8926 Thomas Cullen.

Farrell, Robert

Date of Birth
Alias
Robert Murphy
Address
Duke Street, Wexford
Service No.
3739
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action in Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Husband of Mrs Teresa Murphy nee Dwyer, Duke Street, Wexford. When they married in 1910, Robert was aged 24 and did not provide the name of his father. His widow married Patrick Frazer in 1919.

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.

Roche, Edward

Address
Shannon Hill, Enniscorthy
Service No.
4033
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of Myles and Bridget Roche of Shannon Hill, Enniscorthy.

Sikes, Richard Herbert

Posed studio photo of a young Richard Sikes taken prior to enlistment.
Date of Birth
Address
2 Park View, Wellington Road, Cork
Rank
Sub Lieutenant
Regiment
Royal Naval Division
Howe Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action on the Western Front
Other Biographical Details

Son of Richard Cherry Sikes and Susanna Lecky Sikes 2 Parkview Wellington Rd. Cork. In 1914 he joined the Royal Fusiliers and spent a winter in the trenches.  He was transferred to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and was in command of a company in the Howe Battalion. Sub Lieutenant Richard Herbert Sikes is remembered on the Arras Memorial in France and the War Memorial in St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral in Cork. Buried at Bay 1. Arras Memorial, Department du Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France.

Walker, Thomas Kynaston

Date of Birth
Address
Tykillen, Wexford
Rank
Lieutenant
Regiment
Irish Guards
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action Ypres
Other Biographical Details
Son of Captain Thomas Joseph and Blanche Louisa Walker née Smith of Tykillen, Wexford. Article in a Wexford newspaper.

Born on April 24th

White, John

Date of Birth
Address
Johnstown Post Office, Co.Kilkenny
Service No.
2695
Rank
Lance Corporal
Regiment
Irish Guards
1st Battalion
Medals
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action at the Battle of Poelcappelle, Flanders.
Other Biographical Details

Son of John (RIC stationed in Fethard, Co. Wexford) and Bridget White née Neville. John was a member of the Liverpool Police (No.351) Force prior to the war. Buried  Artillery Wood Cemetery, Boezinge, West Flanders, Belgium, Plot VII.F.17

The Battle of Poelcappelle was fought in Flanders, Belgium, on 9 October 1917 by the British Second Army and Fifth Army against the German 4th Army. The battle marked the end of the string of highly successful British attacks in late September and early October, during the Third Battle of Ypres.

Sample Records

Rennison, Walter Martyn

Date of Birth
Address
The Rectory, Wexford
Rank
Lieutenant
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
3rd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action
Other Biographical Details

Son of the Revd Chancellor Henry Rennison and Mrs Kate Louisa Rennison née Palmer of The Rectory, Wexford.  Formally a medical student in Trinity College, Dublin prior to enlistment.

Merriman, Edward

Head and shoulder shot in uniform, seated.
Date of Birth
Address
Wexford
Service No.
3183
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Munster Fusiliers
6th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds in Gallipolli
Other Biographical Details

Son of Edward and Mary Merriman nee Murphy of 52 Faythe Street, Wexford. 

Leigh, Edward

Head and shoulders portrait from press cutting.
Date of Birth
Address
Rosegarland, Co. Wexford
Rank
Major
Regiment
Hampshire Regiment
2nd Battalion
Medals
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action whilst in command of the battalion near Krithia, Gallipoli
Other Biographical Details

Son of the late Francis Augustine Leigh, J.P., D.L., formerly 10th Hussars and Mrs Augustine Leigh née Perrier of Rosegarland, Co. Wexford. He was educated at St. Columba's College, Co. Dublin. Husband of Mary Meade Leigh, only daughter of Sir John Buchanan, L.L.D., of Clareinch, Claremont, Cape Peninsula, South Africa. Served in the South African Campaign and in India, Malta and the British West Indies. He left one son, Edward Buchanan Leigh, born at Vacoas, Mauritius on the 19th June, 1913.

Awarded Queen's South Africa Medal with three clasps and King's South Africa Medal with two clasps.

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