WW1 conversation between a Dublinman and a

[museumtom]

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[Desmond7]

The first MP to die in the war, Capt. Arthur O'Neill , 2nd Life Guards .. MP for Mid-Antrim.

A newspaper article I posted some time ago may tie in with your own piece Tom?

'12 months ago was fought ther action of Klein Zillebake, in which the 1st Btn irish Guards played a noble part and also the 2nd Btn Royal Sussex Regt., a corps well known in Belfast.

The Irish Guards were in the brigade commanded by the Earl of Cavan and fought most valiantly ubthe throwing back of the German multitudes that burst upon the slender line guarding that particular way to Calais.

In the supporting movements, the 1st and 2nd Life Guards and the Royal Horse Guards fought splendidly and delivered several charges with the bayonet on foot. The following day the attacks were renewed and again repulsed.

Amongst those who fell on 6th November was Captain the Hon. A. E. O'Neill MP, 2nd Life Guards, who was shot whilst leading a bayonet charge.

Captain O'Neill was the first of our legislators to fall in action. It is on record that the bayonet charge which he so gallantly led saved in all probability a serious defeat to our arms.

The Life Guards shorn of all their glory of uniform, dismounted and mud-stained and battered, charged home with the bayonet and saved the position when the PRUSSIAN GUARDS (according to the newspaper article) had almost won through in their attempt to reach Calais at any cost.

Ballymena Observer, November 12 1915

[archangel9]

Nice one Tom! I wonder what became of him.........

[museumtom]

Nice one Desmond, thanks. If I come across other things that might interest ye I will post them here.

Archangel, I cannot track him down because it does not give his second name. There are only three Wexford casualties to the Household Cavalry and Cavalry of the line including the Yeomanry and Imperial Camel Corps and none of them are named Jack (John).

Mys Sister is helping me with the Wexford project and her husband is a photographer who collects cameras, What has that got to do with anything? He lends her a camera that can take a picture of half a page of broadsheet or the complete screen of the microfiche, and , wait for it, you can zoom in at its all in focus. So I am going over the Wexford newspapers and zooming in on stories that are relevant to the war. There are loads and loads of pictures of the men who died and even those who were sent home wounded. Some of the original newspapers are falling apart but she managed to get the relevant ww1 images before they were locked away.

Regards.

Tom.