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 3rd

Cheevers, Patrick

Date of Birth
Address
Campile, Co. Wexford.
Service No.
14122
Rank
Sergeant
Regiment
Kings Liverpool Regiment
13th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of James and Catherine Cheevers nee Hanlon of Horeswood, Campile, Wexford.

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.

Scallan, Edward

Address
Barntown
Service No.
29986
Rank
Private
Regiment
Royal Dublin Fusiliers
1st Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds, France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details
Sole legatee was his cousin Mrs Susan Murphy, Holmestown, Barntown.

Born on May 3rd

Mernagh, James

Date of Birth
Service No.
K/30267
Rank
Stoker 2nd Class
Regiment
Royal Navy
HMS Invincible
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
HMS Invincible was sunk during the battle of Jutland.
Other Biographical Details
Son of James and Eliza Mernagh of Clonroche. Free Press article 1915.

O’Connor, Thomas

Date of Birth
Alias
Tom
Address
Duncormick, Co.Wexford
Service No.
241768
Rank
Private
Regiment
Welsh Regiment
15th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Died of Wounds France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of Thomas and Ellen Murphy O'Connor of Duncormick, Co.Wexford. Fostered by Tom and Maryanne Moran at Belgrove, Duncormick. After the death of foster mother, Tom lived with Phil Moran and Mary Corish in Duncormick. Left effects to his aunt Miss Mary Moran. Buried (Grave number D18), Fienvillers British Cemetery, Lower Somme, France.

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.

Sample Records

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.

Cheevers, Patrick

Date of Birth
Address
Campile, Co. Wexford.
Service No.
14122
Rank
Sergeant
Regiment
Kings Liverpool Regiment
13th Battalion
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Killed in Action France and Flanders
Other Biographical Details

Son of James and Catherine Cheevers nee Hanlon of Horeswood, Campile, Wexford.

Rossiter, Thomas

Date of Birth
Address
William Street, Wexford
Service No.
3095A
Rank
Seaman
Regiment
Royal Naval Reserve
HMS Hampshire
Date of Death
Circumstances of Death
Direct result of enemy action
Other Biographical Details

Son of Thomas Rossiter of William Street, Wexford.

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