Sir, – Ronan McGreevy in his informative article “Database of people from Ireland who died in first World War” (November 11th), refers to the webiste Irelandsgreatwardead.ie.
A search of this database shows Private Stephen Byrne listed under the heading “Shot at Dawn, Died, Executed for desertion at Besseux and later pardoned” – a reference which is at odds with official Irish records.
Following the introduction of the pardons in November 2006, I was contacted by the Irish National War Memorial Committee in Islandbridge, to say they had decided to include the pardoned Irish Shot at Dawn in Irish first World War memorial records.
One was tasked to identify their name, rank, number, date of execution and location of execution for inclusion.
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As the cause of death remains a very sensitive issue for families, it was suggested that a cause of death should be written thus, “died of wounds”, which is consistent with other extant first World War records and importantly does not rewrite the history.
This form of words was agreed and subsequently entered against each name in the new amendment to the official Irish war memorial records published 2008 which lists the deaths of the 26 Irish Shot at Dawn as having “Died of Wounds”.
Hopefully the authors of this database will update their information going forward.
– Yours, etc,
PETER MULVANY,
Shot at Dawn Campaign,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.