irishmen1916 Posted 24 March , 2010 Share Posted 24 March , 2010 President Mary McAleese is to visit Gallipoli today in what will be the first official recognition by the State of the loss of over 3,000 Irish soldiers in the British Army in WWI. They died over six months in 1915 in a failed attempt by the Allies - whose key members included Britain, France and the Russian Empire - to secure the approaches to Istanbul and the Black Sea. President McAleese will first visit the Turkish memorial to their fallen before travelling the short distance to V beach where many Irish died. AdvertisementThe visit has been a long time coming for those who have been campaigning for the recognition of the role played by Irish soldiers in the British Army. Groups such as the Dublin Fusiliers and Somme Associations are unstinting in their praise of President McAleese, who has made the issue a centrepiece of her two terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisharley9 Posted 24 March , 2010 Share Posted 24 March , 2010 Ireland to seems to be very lucky in having some very fine presidents in recent years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishmen1916 Posted 24 March , 2010 Author Share Posted 24 March , 2010 Ireland to seems to be very lucky in having some very fine presidents in recent years Yes Chris we have had a lot of fine one's, I just got the lunch time news here and by the sound of it she made a good speech. I will have a look for it and post it. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 24 March , 2010 Share Posted 24 March , 2010 President Mary McAleese is to visit Gallipoli today in what will be the first official recognition by the State of the loss of over 3,000 Irish soldiers in the British Army in WWI. There appears to be a consensus that at least 35,000 died though the figure on the National War Memorial is 49,400. It is difficult to get a precise figure for the number of Irishmen killed, as not everyone in an Irish Regiment was Irish, and equally well many Irishmen joined English or Scottish Regiments. I assume you mean 3000 died at Gallipoli. I have searched in vain for a figure for Gallipoli deaths among the Irish, but have not managed to get a reliable figure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelagh barry Posted 24 March , 2010 Share Posted 24 March , 2010 I am delighted that 'official' Ireland can now openly honour and respect the valiant efforts of our forefathers. Sadly my grand father a Royal Munster Fusilier felt he could never return to Ireland , and settled happily in the UK . He was always proud to be an Irishman . This is true progress. Shelagh Barry .County Waterford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wig Posted 25 March , 2010 Share Posted 25 March , 2010 Micheal Pegum of this Parish posted a photograph of men of the Dublin Fusaliers who went to Gallipoli. You can find it if you serach for Browning, but I don't quite know how to post a link to it. Most of the men in the photograph failed to return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathal1972 Posted 26 March , 2010 Share Posted 26 March , 2010 The text of President McAleese's speech at Green Hill Cemetery can be read at http://www.president.ie/index.php?section=...79〈=eng She has made a significant contribution in Ireland to bringing the memory of the Irish war dead back into the Irish consciousness. Regards, Cathal,r Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ulsterlad2 Posted 26 March , 2010 Share Posted 26 March , 2010 I assume you mean 3000 died at Gallipoli. I have searched in vain for a figure for Gallipoli deaths among the Irish, but have not managed to get a reliable figure Not very scientific and doesn't answer the question but setting sdgw to Gallipoli and going through all the Irish Regiments gives a total of 2743. Balkans - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3398. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlenBanna Posted 26 March , 2010 Share Posted 26 March , 2010 Its good to see that the contribution, death and sufferering of the Irish regiments are being fully recognised by their government as historically it has not always been politically correct to do so. Some time ago I downloaded and started to listen to the RTE lectures below which were recommended by Desmond7 on this forum. Even if you are not Irish (I'm Scots) the lectures open your eyes to the complex and difficult position these Irishmen found themselves in. http://www.rte.ie/radio1/podcast/podcast_greatwar.xml Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Pegum Posted 28 March , 2010 Share Posted 28 March , 2010 Micheal Pegum of this Parish posted a photograph of men of the Dublin Fusaliers who went to Gallipoli. Most of the men in the photograph failed to return. Here it is (Post No. 10 in the thread): Dublin Pals. Frank Browning did not survive the war either; he was killed during the 1916 Rebellion. Sgt. Major Guest did survive. Photographs of the unveiling and of the memorial itself can be seen at New memorial Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 The text of President McAleese's speech at Green Hill Cemetery can be read at http://www.president.ie/index.php?section=...79〈=eng She has made a significant contribution in Ireland to bringing the memory of the Irish war dead back into the Irish consciousness. Along with Michael Pegum, members of the RDFA and of the Somme Association, I was privileged to attend the functions and visits of the Irish President while she was on Gallipoli recently. Her remarks at the luncheon, co-hosted by the Governor of Chanakkale and the Ambassador of Ireland, were also worthy of note and in particular I would like to share with you her closing paragraph "I am here to honour Turkey's sons and Ireland's sons, all victims of the world's complex history. The Great War was to prove the pivotal period of the modern age in Anglo-Irish relations. The Irish who fell here also fell victim to Ireland's complex history. Those who died here or returned to Ireland were diminished in the national consciousness of the new State that emerged as a result of the War of Independence instituted against the British Empire by their friends, neighbours and families while they were away at war. The war tested allegiances and identities leaving a legacy of fracture and fragmentation that Ireland is only now beginning to come to terms with. Today we revisit the story of those young men of ours who confronted and were confronted by those young men of yours. Between them they made history and they changed history. We meet as friends, as good and firm friends, a joy, a blessing and a privilege they were never to know in their short lives. As we approach the Centenary Anniversary of those times we recall them all with compassion, we acknowledge their place in our story and in our memory, a memory that links Ireland and Turkey in sadness and sacrifice. I thank you for the opportunity to commemorate and honour that memory and that sacrifice. Go raibh mile maith agaibh go léir." A great lady and a great day for us all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 Before President McAleese unveiled the memorial plaque to the 10th (Irish) Division [seen here] there was an Act of Remembrance at Green Hill CWGC Cemetery. Dr. Ian Adamson OBE bade us welcome. The Rev Geoffrey Evans led the prayers. The Exhortation was said by Major General David The O'Morchoe, CB, CBE, President of the RBL ROI. The Last Post was sounded, followed by the Silence, and then by Reveille and a Piper's Lament. Lt Col. P A J Walker of 2nd Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment read 'The Irish at Gallipoli' by Francis Ledwidge. Following the wreath laying by President McAleese, others wreaths were then laid representing each of the regiments of the 10th (Irish) Division at Gallipoli, and various communities on the island of Ireland. Then three 'Letters Home' written from Gallipoli by Irish soldiers, were read by Mrs Carol Walker, Mr Nicholas Broughall and Mr Robert McKinley. Some of my photographs H E the President of Ireland was attended members of the Diplomatic Corps and by British and Irish officers --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- The Colours --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- The Bugler, the Trumpeter and the Piper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 The Rev Evans and Col Walker --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Following that laid by President McAleese, the laying of the other wreaths was led by Maj. Gen. David The O'Morchoe CB, CBE. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Dr Adamson, who opened, led and closed the Act of Remembrance, before inviting H E Mary McAleese to unveil and dedicate the new plaque to the officers and men of the 10th (Irish) Division Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 The Colours depart --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- A day or two later, and all is still --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Looking down from Chocolate Hill towards Green Hill and the front line of 1915 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isadore Posted 31 March , 2010 Share Posted 31 March , 2010 Great photos thanks so much for posting them perhaps I'll get there some day..... Isdore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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