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.

Born on January 16th

Byrne, Thomas Francis

Date of Birth
Alias
Francis Byrne
Service No.
29539
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
7th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds at home, Sheffield.
Other Biographical Details

Son of Richard & Bridget Byrne née O'Brien of 36 Roe St, Belfast. His father was Colour-Sergeant 5th R Irish Regiment. Died at the War Hospital, Sheffield. CWGC wrongly uses number 29537. Buried in Sheffield St Michael's Roman Catholic Cemetery Yorkshire.

Quirk, Myles

Date of Birth
Service No.
29384
Rank
Private
Regiment
East Yorkshire Regiment
7th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action during the Second Battle of Bapaume (21 Aug – 3 Sep 1918)
Other Biographical Details

Son of Myles and Johanna Quirke (née Neill) of 25 Shannon Hill, Enniscorthy.

Buired at A.I.F. BURIAL GROUND, FLERS, Somme, France
III. K. 2.

Rochford, Andrew

Date of Birth
Address
7 William Street, New Ross
Service No.
21661
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Dublin Fusiliers
2nd Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of Andrew and Bridget Rochford nee Franey of 7 William Street, New Ross. Brother of Patrick below

Sample Records

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.

Dempsey, William

Date of Birth
Service No.
5752A
Rank
Seaman
Regiment
Royal Naval Reserve
HMS Goliath
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
HMS Goliath was torpedoed in the Dardanelles
Other Biographical Details

Son of John and Mary Dempsey of Bride St, Wexford.

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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