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 May 8th

Cairns, Richard Frederick

Date of Birth
Alias
Zimber, Richard Frederick
Address
Priory Street, New Ross.
Service No.
R/10201
Rank
Rifleman
Regiment
King's Royal Rifle Corps
4th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action Ypres
Other Biographical Details

Son of Aaron & Elizabeth Zimber of  Priory Street, New Ross, Co. Wexford. His father was a Jeweller by trade. Served as Cairns. No known grave. Memorialised on panel 53 Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres. 

Dempsey, Michael

Date of Birth
Address
Distillery Road, Wexford.
Service No.
5753
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
6th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action in Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of Peter and Mary Dempsey nee Doyle. Widow Margaret nee Murphy, Distillery Road, Wexford.

Dobbs, James

Date of Birth
Service No.
7024
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action in Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of John Dobbs of Duffry Gate, Enniscorthy. Husband of Elizabeth Goff of Francis Row, Enniscorthy.

Doyle, James

Date of Birth
Service No.
29628
Rank
Gunner
Regiment
Royal Garrison Artillery
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died in Singapore from malaria
Other Biographical Details

Son of James and Jane Doyle of John Street, Wexford.

Fitzhenry, Michael

Date of Birth
Address
Mulrankin
Service No.
4423
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action in Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of Edward and Margaret Fitzhenry nee Connick of Kilmannon, Cleariestown, Co. Wexford.

Hughes, Peter

Date of Birth
Service No.
11590
Rank
Private
Regiment
Irish Guards
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details
Son of Michael and Mary Hughes née Kavanagh

Morris, Arthur Russell

Date of Birth
Address
Somerville, Wexford
Service No.
51344
Rank
Private
Regiment
Eastern Ontario Regiment
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action
Other Biographical Details
Son of Joseph Russell Russell and Annie Frances Morris née Mildenhall. Enniscorthy Guardian article.

Whelan, Edward

Date of Birth
Address
Killen, Co.Wexford
Service No.
12309
Rank
Private
Regiment
Irish Guards
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details
Son of James and Fanny Whelan née Smith.

Born on May 8th

Byrne, Michael

Date of Birth
Address
39 Irish Street, Enniscorthy
Service No.
83711
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Defence Corps
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Other Biographical Details

Son of Thomas and Rosanna Byrne née Murray of 39 Irish St, Enniscorthy. Died after the war - buried at New Catholic Cemetery Enniscorthy.

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.

Jeffares, Reginald Isaac

Date of Birth
Address
2 Mont Alto, Dalkey, Co. Dublin
Service No.
26218
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Dublin Fusiliers
9th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action in France
Other Biographical Details

Son of Sheppard French and Kate Elizabeth Jeffares nee Clapham, Tinneranny, New Ross. Husband of Margaret Susan Jeffares nee Crawley of 2 Mont Alto, Dalkey, Co. Dublin. They had married 9 May 1916.

Sergent, William John

Date of Birth
Address
Rosslare
Service No.
2262
Rank
Fitter
Regiment
Australian Field Artillery
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds in the Dardanelles.
Other Biographical Details
Son of Mrs Martha Mahala Sergent, 288 North Street, Bedminster, Bristol, later changed to 54 Russell Terrace, Newtown, Wellington, New Zealand. Son of Henry and Martha Sergent née Mahala

Smyth, Robert Richard

Date of Birth
Address
Munfin, Ballycarney, Ferns
Service No.
10501
Rank
Private
Regiment
Irish Guards
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action at Aral Wood, France
Other Biographical Details

De Ruivigny's Roll of Honour. Husband of Sarah, daughter of John Pratt. Son of Frank and Sarah Smyth née Pratt of Munfin, Ballycarney, Ferns. At Munfin in the 1911 Census.

Sample Records

Darling, William Oliver Fortesque

Date of Birth
Address
Chelsea Lodge, Duncannon
Rank
Lieutenant
Regiment
Royal Irish Rifles
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action, France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of the Revd Oliver Warner Darling and Edith nee Dunn of Killesk Rectory, Duncannon, Co. Wexford. Brother of Second Lieutenant Claude Henry Whish Darling.

Murphy, Thomas

Date of Birth
Address
Barrack Street, Wexford
Service No.
9929
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action in the battle of St Julien, France
Other Biographical Details

Son of James Murphy, Barrack Street , Wexford. James was known as one of the best boxers in the army. Lord Kitchener wrote to James parents conveying the sympathy of the King and Queen on the death of Private Murphy. His brother Patrick, a seaman on board HMS Orbita, was drowned on the 31st of August 1915 at only 21 years of age.
Private James Murphy has no known grave but is commemorated on panel 33 of the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium.

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.

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