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 8th

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. 

Coburn, Peter

Date of Birth
Service No.
K.23035
Rank
Sto 2nd
Regiment
Royal Navy
HMS Vivid
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died from disease: measles and pneumonia at Plymouth Borough Isolation Hospital
Other Biographical Details
Mother: Ballinamona, Ballycanew, Co.Wexford. Parents: John Cockburn and Mary Carthy. His father was a labourer. The 1901 Census shows children were Benjamin (20), John (18), Elizabeth (17), Daniel (15), Henry (13), Bridget (11), May Ellen (10), Thomas (9) and Peter (7).

Doyle, Christopher

Date of Birth
Service No.
7696
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Army Medical Corps
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Accidentally killed in London
Other Biographical Details

Son of Thomas Doyle. Sister Bridget Eastwood at 8 Sackville Place, Dublin.

Humphreys, Thomas Tector

Date of Birth
Service No.
3311
Rank
Private
Regiment
Irish Guards
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds in a French hospital
Other Biographical Details
Son of Richard and Amelia Margaret 'Emily' Humphreys nee Tector of Ballynahowen, Gorey, Co.Wexford.

Nolan, Patrick

Date of Birth
Address
Back Street, Wexford
Service No.
16489
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Irish Fusiliers
5th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds in Salonika
Other Biographical Details

Son of Peter and Mary Nolan nee Redmond. Married Christina Smith in 1905. In 1911 his address was 11 Trimmers Lane, Wexford. Husband of Mrs Nolan of Back Street. Brother of Martin Nolan 16565.

Born on December 8th

Furniss, Martin

Date of Birth
Address
Chapel Lane, New Ross
Service No.
69338
Rank
Gunner
Regiment
Royal Field Artillery
83rd Battery, 2nd Brigade
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds at the Military Hospital, Lincoln, England
Other Biographical Details

Son of James and Mary Furniss nee Kavanagh of Church Lane, New Ross, Co. Wexford. He was wounded in the neck, 27 September 1916, and returned to England. Hewas admitted to 4th Northern General Hospital, Lincoln, where he died from his wounds six months later. Brother of Patrick Furniss.

Sample Records

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.

Buttle, Albert Edward

Date of Birth
Address
Templeshannon, Enniscorthy
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Regiment
Royal Irish Rifles
17th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds at No. 3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station.
Other Biographical Details

Son of John & Annie Buttle of Templeshannon, Enniscorthy. His father, John was Director of Messrs. Buttle Bros & Co. Ltd, Bacon Curers and Merchants. Albert was educated in Newtown School, Waterford and Model School, Enniscorthy. Enlisted with Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1st April 1915. Gazetted 2nd Lieut. Royal Irish Rifles 2nd Bn. Took part in the Battles of the Somme in July 1916 and was invalided home in January 1917. Promoted to First Lieutenant, July 1917. Was offered a medical discharge being medically unfit, but volunteered again and rejoined his regiment in France on 29th May 1918. A casualty of the Fifth Battle of Ypres (28 Sept – 2 Oct 1918). Buried in Haringhe Military Cemetery.

Maguire, Matthew Lawrence

Date of Birth
Address
Gorey
Rank
Lieutenant
Regiment
Royal Flying Corps
Medals
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds in Turkish hands
Other Biographical Details

Son of James Maguire, J.P. and of Dora Maguire nee Gahan of Tomgar House, Ballycanew, Gorey. Formerly Connaught Rangers.

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