Their Name Liveth for Evermore
On 2nd September 1939, a Proclamation was issued in Dublin mobilising all the reserve forces of the State. Europe and the world was about to be plunged into the greatest conflict mankind has ever known; it was a conflict that was to shape the second half of the 20th century.
Again as in previous wars and conflicts, World War II was to see Limerick men and women, involved in every arm and section of the Allied Forces. They fought and died in every theatre of conflict; in the air, on the sea and on the ground.
During the Great War, 1,056 Limerick men and women paid the ultimate price. Nowhere near so many Limerick casualties were sustained during the Second World War. My research for the period 1939 - 1947, records a total of 119 Limerick casualties, just over 10% of the World War I total.
As the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Roll of Honour list causalities for the period 1939 – 1947, I felt I should follow the same criteria.
As in my previous book, The Widow’s Penny; the memorial record of the Limerick casualties of the Great War,both the Limerick and National newspapers were again consulted; I assumed that they had published details of WW II casualties. This time I encountered an almost insurmountable problem, newspaper and media censorship.
Under the Emergency Powers Act, 1939, newspapers were not allowed to include the words ‘killed in action’ in obituary notices, in certain cases, the place of death was censored.
During Question Time on 25th April 1945, in Dáil Éireann (Irish Parliament), Deputy H.M. Dockrell asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures if he would state if obituary notices had been censored in certain cases in respect of the place of death and or quotations from the Scriptures; and, if so, in what circumstances. Mr. Aiken, the minister responsible replied: The answer to the Deputy's question is: yes; propaganda for and against both sets of belligerents has been deleted from obituary notices from time to time.
This, it would appear, was part of the price we had to pay for our Neutrality.
I had to depend on personal interviews with relatives and the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to ascertain both the details and the number of Limerick casualties.
This publication, Their Name Liveth Forever More indicates, as in the Great War, the Limerick military ethos, reflecting the city motto Urbs Antiqua Fuit Studiisque Asperrma Belli. (An ancient citywell studied in the arts of war). Limerick had and still has a great military tradition; World War II, was to prove no exception.
It is conservatively estimated that a total of 120,000 Irish born personnel served in the British Armed Forces during World War II. Initial research indicates that at least 4,543 from all parts of the island of Ireland gave their lives serving with the British Army alone
Total number of casualties from the Republic, serving in the British Army, indicates a figure of 2,302 exceeding the 2,241 from the six northern counties. Amazingly, of the total number of Limerick born members who served in the Australian Armed Forces, Army, Navy and Air Force, there was not one battle casualty recorded.
Reviews
"Early in 2004 Patrick J. McNamara published The Widows Penny, which was about the Limerick men who fell in The Great War 1914 – 1918. His book received excellent critical reviews. It filled a long neglected need in Limerick’s local history by telling the story of those who died and were subsequently airbrushed from our national history.
He has now written a companion volume to his earlier work and here he deals with the story of Limerick men who fought and died in the Second World War. As in the case of the First World War, many Irishmen again joined various allied forces and fought in the Second World War. Limerick men were no exception and Patrick J. McNamara has identified 119 who gave their lives.
By 1939, the Irish Free State had achieved independence and the government of the day had declared our neutrality in the coming war. Unlike the situation twenty-five years before, young men in Ireland now had the opportunity to join the Irish Defence Forces and defend the state against invasion by either of the protagonists. Many took this option.
Others however joined foreign armies to fight against the aggressive Nazism and the Imperial expansionism of Japan. Their motivation was as diverse as the individuals themselves. Some were immigrants in countries who called them to serve with national forces in time of war. We therefore find Irishmen serving in the forces of Britain, Canada, US, Australia and other countries. Some were Irish Unionists who saw the mother country under threat and rushed to her defence. More joined from a spirit of adventure, for the monetary reward and security, from peer pressure and even after reading advertisements in Irish newspapers calling on Irishmen to go to Northern Ireland and join the British Forces. Some idealistically wanted to fight against the evil of Fascist aggression.
Some members of the Irish Defence Forces, particularly once it became evident that Ireland would not be invaded and that they would not have to fight anyone deserted and went to Northern Ireland to join the British Forces. The logic behind such drastic action was just as diverse as those who joined up at the outset of war.
The book also covers those merchant seamen from Limerick who lost their lives while serving in Irish and British merchant ships during the conflict. One of my few memories of the fall out from the Second World War was the sinking by U Boat of the Irish Pine and the deaths of the Limerick crew members.
The book is divided into self-contained sequential parts, which are easy to follow and will suit both organised “front to back” readers as well as those “dipping in” seeking specific information.
The first part starts with a brief history of the Second World War. Though may not be of interest to the older reader who may have lived through that conflict, it is an essential and concise account for the majority who view the war as distant history.
The next part of the book concerns itself with those Limerick men who died in the war. It gives the reader the family background, the circumstances of their death, accounts of the battles they fought and died in and the cemetery where the individual is buried and commemorated..
The book will be an essential starting place for family historians who wish to trace the history of relatives who died in the Second World War. It also fills a gap in local Limerick history, which will appeal to those who take an interest or pride in the city, county and its citizens and the part they played in recent events, which have shaped modern Ireland.
Gerry McMahon
Lieutenant General.
(Ex Chief of Staff)
Irish Defence Forces
In his book, Their Name Liveth For Evermore, Limerick Military Historian Patrick J. McNamara tells the story of the men and women of Limerick who fought and died in World War II. Patrick’s meticulous research gives account of the battles that included Dunkirk, Monte Casino, Anzio and Normandy that Limerick men from all walks of life fought and died in. He also records the countless military graveyards scattered around the world where you can find their remains, far from home. Colonel Colm Doyle (Commandant, Curragh Military College) on reading the book noted “I have been impressed with the details of Patrick’s research to elicit the facts pertaining to the individuals who are featured amongst its pages and the obvious attention each of them received. He has transformed these soldiers from mere statistics to personalities and gives us much insight into a generation of soldiers, who have been largely airbrushed from history and deserve our admiration, gratitude and respect. Patrick’s book gives a sense of closure to the brave men and women of Limerick who gave their lives in battle.
An Cosantóir
The Defence Forces Magazine
April 2007
War historian McNamara carves their name with pride.
Poignant, inspiring and a source of pride for their fellow Limerick men and women are the true stories of young Limerick soldiers who lost their lives in World War II, meticulously recorded in his new book, Their Name Liveth For Evermore.
It follows on from his highly acclaimed, The Widow’s Penny, an earlier memorial record of the Limerick casualties of World War I.
Their Name Liveth For Evermore exudes the same painstaking research and attention to detail that made The Widow’s Penny so compellingly informative and readable.
Of particular interest to a lot of Limerick families will be the chapter dedicated to the Irish Merchant Marine, which gives a detailed account of the Limerick seamen who never came back from the War.
Their Name Liveth For Evermore chronicles the war effort and ultimate sacrifice of many young Limerick men, one of whom was John O’Shea from Ballysimon, who fought the Germans in Italy and was recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal but could not receive it because he was killed in action.
John Joseph Nunan the 21 year old son of Catherine Nunan, Ballysheedy, Limerick, was 3rd Radio Officer with the Merchant Navy on the SS Clarissa Radcliff (London) who was recorded missing, presumed drowned, on March 9 1943. John had studied Radio Telegraphy at the John J. Hobbins Radio School, 2 Catherine Place, Limerick before joining the Marconi Company in London.
Kenneth Handley was a young Limerick born soldier who was captured by the Japanese after the fall of Singapore. He became a prisoner of war and was killed on the River Kwai on his birthday.
Ted Sheehy, known as Limerick’s own Spitfire Fighter pilot, fought with the Royal Canadian Air Force all the way from Normandy to Germany.
At the height of the air campaign, aircrew life expectancy in Bomber Command was just 30 days. Nicholas McNamara from Keane St. Killalee was one of the many young Limerick born RAF aircrew members who made the supreme sacrifice.
Trooper John McAuliffe of the 42nd (7th Suffolk Regt,) Royal Armoured Corps, was born in Kilfrush, Co. Limerick, the son of William and Mary McAuliffe and who died aged 26 in action at the Kasserine Pass in Tunisia.
There is the moving story of John Stewart, who fought tank battles all the way across North Africa and refused promotion in order to remain with his friends. He was killed in action at Monte Cassino.
From Rathkeale, James Alymer served with the American army throughout the Pacific campaign and was killed in action at Okinawa.
Flight Sergeant Michael Barrett, 640 Squadron Royal Air Force, was the son of Paddy and Bridget Barrett from Ardagh, County Limerick. He was the last RAF battle casualty from Limerick of World War II. His brother William also fell in action.
Their Name Liveth For Evermore is a limited edition, comprising over 400 pages in seven chapters and includes personal photographs, some of which are published for the first time.
Limerick Post book review
