Lives of the First World War

WW1 Royal Irish Regiment cap badge

WW1 Royal Irish Regiment cap badge

Trinity Without, Waterford, in the parish of which John McGrath was born in 1894

Ballybricken, Waterford. John McGrath was born in Waterford in 1893.

Newport's Terrace, Waterford. John McGrath lived in Newport's Lane with his parents and siblings at the time of the 1901 and 1911 census.

Le Riez - where the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment entrenched on the night of 18-19th October 1914

Le Riez - where the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment entrenched on the night of 18-19th October 1914

The position from which Major Daniell directed the attack on Le Pilly on the 19th October.

The view across the fields from Le Pilly to Le Riez

One of the ditches which were occupied by A Company of the Royal Irish Regiment at Le Pilly on 19th/20th October 1914 and where they were surrounded and eventually “wiped out”.

One of the ditches which were occupied by A Company of the Royal Irish Regiment at Le Pilly on 19th/20th October 1914 and where they were surrounded and eventually “wiped out”.

One of the ditches which were occupied by B Company of the Royal Irish Regiment at Le Pilly on 19th/20th October 1914 and where they were surrounded and eventually “wiped out”.

One of the ditches which were occupied by B Company of the Royal Irish Regiment at Le Pilly on 19th/20th October 1914 and where they were surrounded and eventually “wiped out”.

The station building in Le Pilly where Lieutenant Jackson of the RAMC tended to the wounded after the battalion had been overwhelmed.

Rue du Pilly, Herlies, Nord, where the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment met its destruction

Map of the actions at Le Riez and Le Pilly from The Campaigns and History of the Royal Irish Regiment, Vol. II (drawn by Major St.Leger)

Panel 11 of the Le Touret Memorial on which are commemorated the officers and men of the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment who fell in this sector of the Western Front in October 1914 and who have no known grave. The memorial was designed by John Reginald Truelove and unveiled by the British Ambassador to France, Lord Tyrrell on 22nd March 1930.

Panel 11 of the Le Touret Memorial on which are commemorated the officers and men of the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment who fell in this sector of the Western Front in October 1914 and who have no known grave. The memorial was designed by John Reginald Truelove and unveiled by the British Ambassador to France, Lord Tyrrell on 22nd March 1930.

Panel 12 of the Le Touret Memorial on which are commemorated the officers and men of the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment who fell in this sector of the Western Front in October 1914 and who have no known grave. The memorial was designed by John Reginald Truelove and unveiled by the British Ambassador to France, Lord Tyrrell on 22nd March 1930.

The Le Touret Memorial commemorates those who fell in this sector of the Western Front from the beginning of October 1914 to the eve of the Battle of Loos in late September 1915 and who have no known grave. It was designed by John Reginald Truelove and unveiled by the British Ambassador to France, Lord Tyrrell on 22nd March 1930. The soldiers of the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment are to be found on panels 11 and 12.

Privates Edward Byrne 10896, Daniel Cronin 10888, John Murphy 8804 and Patrick Sweeney 6645 were originally buried close to, it is assumed, where they fell at Le Pilly by the Germans – approximately where D Company were positioned on the battalion’s right flank. The CWGC concentration form gives the co-ordinates of the location where their bodies were found (36.T.5.b.30.05.) along with 2 other unknown British soldiers. They were buried together "in one grave and are believed to be proper German Burials". Four out of the six bodies were identified as soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment (through clothing, boots, G.S.buttons, numerals and discs). The bodies were exhumed in April 1927 and reburied in Bailleul Road East Cemetery, St Laurent Blangy.

Privates Edward Byrne 10896, Daniel Cronin 10888, John Murphy 8804 and Patrick Sweeney 6645 were originally buried close to, it is assumed, where they fell at Le Pilly by the Germans – approximately where D Company were positioned on the battalion’s right flank. The CWGC concentration form gives the co-ordinates of the location where their bodies were found (36.T.5.b.30.05. - indicated by the red balloon.) along with 2 other unknown British soldiers. They were buried together "in one grave and are believed to be proper German Burials". Four out of the six bodies were identified as soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment (through clothing, boots, G.S.buttons, numerals and discs). The bodies were exhumed in April 1927 and reburied in Bailleul Road East Cemetery, St Laurent Blangy.

Concentration document for Bailleul Road East Cemetery, St Laurent Blangy, which indicates the original position of graves at Le Pilly.

The graves of the six soldiers, including Privates Edward Byrne 10896, Daniel Cronin 10888, John Murphy 8804 and Patrick Sweeney 6645, who were originally buried in Le Pilly and then reburied in Bailleul Road East Cemetery, St Laurent Blangy in 1927.

Private Joseph Dempsey 10766 was originally buried very close to the station in Le Pilly along with at least three other unidentified British soldiers (one of which was identified as a Lieutenant of the Royal Irish Regiment) The CWGC concentration form gives the co-ordinates of the location of their graves as 36.T.5.d.60.85. - indicated by the red balloon. They were exhumed in 1922 and reburied in Rue Petillon Military cemetery. The close proximity of the original site of their graves to the station (actually in the garden next to the building) suggests that they may have been among those wounded who were treated by Lieutenant Jackson of the RAMC between October 20th and 23rd and who subsequently died and were then buried nearby.

Private Joseph Dempsey 10766 was originally buried very close to the station in Le Pilly along with at least three other unidentified British soldiers (one of which was identified as a Lieutenant of the Royal Irish Regiment) The CWGC concentration form gives the co-ordinates of the location of their graves as 36.T.5.d.60.85. They were exhumed in 1922 and reburied in Rue Petillon Military cemetery. The close proximity of the original site of their graves to the station (actually in the garden next to the building) suggests that they may have been among those wounded who were treated by Lieutenant Jackson of the RAMC between October 20th and 23rd and who subsequently died and were then buried nearby.

A concentration document for Rue Petillon Military Cemetery which indicates the original position of Royal Irish Regiment graves in the garden next to the station at Le Pilly where the wounded were treated by Lieutenant Jackson of the RAMC.

Privates Patrick Doyle 5938, Robert Morrissey 6388 and William Roberts 10942 were buried by the Germans in Fournes-en-Weppes German Military Cemetery, a short distance from Le Pilly, in October 1914 (co-ordinates 36.O.31.d.8.2.). After the war, their bodies were exhumed and reburied in Caberet Rouge British Cemetery along with at least 32 other unidentified British soldiers from the same location, two of whom were officers of the Royal Irish Regiment. It is reasonable to assume that these men are some of those who fell at Le Pilly. It is also possible that others were not discovered and exhumed and so remain in Fournes-en-Weppes German Military Cemetery.

Privates Patrick Doyle 5938, Robert Morrissey 6388 and William Roberts 10942 were buried by the Germans in Fournes-en-Weppes German Military Cemetery, a short distance from Le Pilly, in October 1914 (co-ordinates 36.O.31.d.8.2. - indicated by the red balloon.). After the war, their bodies were exhumed and reburied in Caberet Rouge British Cemetery along with at least 32 other unidentified British soldiers from the same location, two of whom were officers of the Royal Irish Regiment. It is reasonable to assume that these men are some of those who fell at Le Pilly. It is also possible that others were not discovered and exhumed and so remain in Fournes-en-Weppes German Military Cemetery.

Concentration document for Caberet Rouge British Cemetery which indicates the original position of graves at Fournes-en-Weppes German Military Cemetery and lists 16 unknown British soldiers who are quite likely to have been men of the Royal Irish Regiment who fell at Le Pilly.

Concentration document for Caberet Rouge British Cemetery which indicates the original position of graves at Fournes-en-Weppes German Military Cemetery and lists 16 unknown British soldiers who are quite likely to have been men of the Royal Irish Regiment who fell at Le Pilly.

Unknown soldier of the Royal Irish Regiment buried in Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery

Unknown soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment buried in Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery