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 July 19th

Pierce, John

Date of Birth
Address
New Zealand
Service No.
24/2074
Rank
Rifleman
Regiment
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
4th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds received in action on the Somme.
Other Biographical Details
Son of William and Elizabeth Pierce nee Hill of Ballycale, Gorey. Enniscorthy Guardian article.

Shannon, Peter Paul

Date of Birth
Address
Merriwa, New South Wales
Service No.
3433
Rank
Private
Regiment
Australian Infantry
53rd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action at Fromelles, France.
Other Biographical Details

Son of John and Mary Ann Shannon nee O'Shea. His father was a coffin maker who died while Peter was a young child. In 1888 his mother emigrated to Australia with her four children. Peter worked as a sheep shearer at Merriwa, New South Wales, and enlisted 13 August 1915. He was posted to the 53rd Infantry Battalion in Egypt about February 1916. Moved to France 28 June 1916. Brother of John Joseph Shannon, c/o Mr Marshall, Farm No 732 Leeton, Via Yanco. His body was discovered in 2009 but not identified until 2019.

Born on July 19th

O'Sullivan, Vincent

Date of Birth
Alias
Vincent Cornelius
Service No.
4438
Rank
Sapper
Regiment
Australian Tunnelling Corps
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in France by an aerial bomb
Other Biographical Details

Appears to have been born Vincent Cornelius O'Sullivan at Bridge St. New Ross 19-07-1876, son of Jeremiah and Mary O'Sullivan née Walsh. Buried Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

Symons, Andrew Henry

Date of Birth
Service No.
233064
Rank
Able Seaman
Regiment
Royal Navy
HMS Lion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Severely wounded, shrapnel wound to the head, during action in the North Sea
Other Biographical Details
The son of Henry Herbert and Annie Symons née Hood. Mother: Annie, 2 Prospect Place, Green Street Green, Springton Kent. the son of Henry Herbert and Annie Symons née Hood. His father, born in England, was in the Coast Guard; his mother was born in Co. Cork. The 1901 Census shows his father was then a chief boatman stationed at Trabolgan, Co. Cork. Children present were Ethel (21), Alfred (18), Alice (15), and Andrew (12).

Sample Records

Robert Devereux

Date of Birth
Alias
Alexander Howie
Address
6 Patrick Place, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford.
Service No.
43210
Rank
Private
Regiment
Machine Gun Corps
72nd Company
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in action
Other Biographical Details

Son of Laurence and Susan Devereux nee Farrell. His father, a labourer, died from tuberculosis 21/12/1901.

His mother married Peter Walsh 10/10/1906. Robert enlisted at Dublin under the alias Alexander Howie as 9468 in 1st Leinster Regiment, stating that he was born in Dublin. He went to France 19/12/1914 and was later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps.

Commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.

 

Cullimore, Joseph Albert

Date of Birth
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Regiment
Royal Irish Fusiliers
8th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action
Other Biographical Details

Son of Joseph Albert and Elizabeth Teresa Cullimore nee Harpur of Clarence House, Wexford. Grandson of Moses Harpur, 57 South Main Street, Wexford. Brother of George Henry Cullimore.

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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