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.

About

The Records

About

Contact Us

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 June 6th

Breen, James

Date of Birth
Address
Ballygarett, Co. Wexford
Service No.
10181
Rank
Acting Corporal
Regiment
Royal Irish Rifles
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds at No. 1 Australian Casualty Clearing Station
Other Biographical Details

Son of John and Bridget Breen née Byrne, both born in Co. Wexford. His father worked as a coachman. On the death of his mother from chronic pneumonia at Ballyminane, Co. Wexford in January 1901, he, his father and brother John moved to his grandfathers's farm in Mangan Lower, Ballygarrett, Co. Wexford.  His father died from tuberculosis on 18th May, 1901. In 1911 James was working as a grocer's apprentice in Ballygarrett. He enlisted before the beginning of the war in August 1913.

Cullen, Thomas

Date of Birth
Alias
Murphy, Thomas
Address
Enniscorthy
Service No.
8926
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment
6th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action
Other Biographical Details

Son of Robert and Mary Cullen nee Brien of 20 Irish Street, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. Served as Thomas Murphy. Brother of 10614 Maurice Cullen and 8112 Myles Cullen.

Born on June 6th

Clinch, James Joseph

Date of Birth
Service No.
6955
Rank
Private
Regiment
Australian Infantry
15th Battalion
Date of Death
Other Biographical Details

Son of Patrick and Anastasia Clinch nee Hendrick, Ballylusk. Brother of John Clinch, 619 Main Street, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, Queensland and Christopher Clinch, Ballylusk, Templeshambo, Ferns.

Dixon, Alexander

Date of Birth
Address
68 Alexander Street, Mt Lawley
Service No.
252
Rank
Private
Regiment
Australian Infantry
16th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action in Gallipoli
Other Biographical Details
Son of William and Grace A. Dixon of Lake Brown, Nungarin, Western Australia. Son of William and Anne Dixon née Hempenstall

Doyle, Francis

Date of Birth
Alias
Frank Doyle
Service No.
PLY/16787
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Marine Light Infantry
HMS Indefatigable
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed at Jutland on board HMS Indefatigable.
Other Biographical Details

Son of John and Katherine Doyle nee Fortune of 3 Castle Terrace, Phibsborough, Dublin.

Dwyer, Denis

Date of Birth
Service No.
10864
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 James and Mary Anne Dwyer née Fitzpatrick

Nolan, Martin

Date of Birth
Service No.
16565
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Fusiliers
3rd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died from a cerebral haemorrhage at Back Street, Wexford, age 36.
Other Biographical Details

Son of Peter and Mary Nolan née Redmond, John Street, Wexford. Widow Annie née Stafford at Back Street, Wexford. Brother of Patrick Nolan 16489

Sample Records

Sweetman, Michael James Joseph

Date of Birth
Address
Samberton Park, Richmond, Limerick.
Service No.
9980
Rank
Major
Regiment
Worcestershire Regiment
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds - Ctesiphon, Bagdad, Iraq
Other Biographical Details

Son of Michael James and Margaret Sweetman nee Powell, Lamberton Park, Queens County.  Educated - Downside, London University, Sandhurst
Retired - prior to WWI. In 1914 he Returned to the colors (Worcestershire Regt.)
1914 - Wounded and M.I.D. in Flanders at Polygon Wood in October and was awarded 1914 Star and Bar, Victory Medal.
Attached - 2nd Dorset Regt for Persian Gulf Expedition (2ND in command)
Became Commanding Officer of 2nd Dorsetshire when Major, Acting Lt.Col. Radcliffe was wounded.
Led successful attacks on Turkish Redoubts during Battle of Ctesiphon. He was Mortally wounded during Battle when he was shot in the groin while leading his men at Ctesiphon.  Despite his injury he stayed with them.  He was evacuated after the battle on a hospital ship on the Tigris but died 3 days later before they reached Kut.
He is the 2nd Oldest person buried at Kut War Cemetary.

Major Sweetman had three sisters, all published authors (2 novelists and a Poet). His brother-in-law was Egerton Castle... author, swordsmen, captain of the epee and saber team at the 1908 Olympics. His uncle was John Sweetman was one of the founders of and 2nd President of Sinn Fein.

The Sweetman family were brewers but sold their brewery to Guinness in 1893.

He was put up for the D.S.O. three times.  All were downgraded to M.I.D. Buried Grave L9, Kut War Cemetery, Iraq.

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.

Murphy, Albert

Date of Birth
Address
Newbridge, Co. Kildare
Service No.
27700
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
7th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action by gas in France
Other Biographical Details

Son of George and Mary Murphy née Keating. All the family were born in Wexford except Albert. Lived in Wexford since infancy. Named as Albert G. on the Census.

Explore the Records