New memorials to commemorate Irish who died in Flanders

Two new memorials are to be erected in Belgium this year to remember the Irish who died during the 1917 battles in Flanders.

A steel silhouette of Major Willie Redmond MP being carried off the battlefield by stretcher bearer John Meekes has been commissioned by the local authority in Heuvelland and will be unveiled on June 7th, the centenary of Redmond’s death.

He was the most famous Irish casualty of the Battle of Messines Ridge when men from the mostly nationalist 16th (Irish) Division and the unionist 36th (Ulster) Division fought side by side in a successful operation to clear the Germans from the high ground around Ypres.

Redmond was with the 16th (Irish) Division and Meekes with the 36th (Ulster) Division.

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Meekes won the Military Medal for his actions, remaining on the battlefield despite being injured on several occasions. Redmond (56) died from his wounds later that day.

Fought together

A memorial stone has already been put in place to mark the next time the two Irish divisions fought together.

But unlike Messines Ridge, the Battle of Frezenberg Ridge in August 1917, which was part of the Battle of Passchendaele, was a disaster.

After more than a week of incessant rain, the 16th on the right and the 36th on the left attacked the Frezenburg Ridge, a German strongpoint.

The 16th had to cross a mile of muddy open ground to get at the German positions.

On the right the 36th also suffered huge casualties – 4,000 in total between the two divisions.

The Royal Dublin Fusiliers will fundraise to put a bronze or copper plaque on the stone, remembering the fate of the Irish who fought during the Battle of Passchendaele.

Casualty

Royal Dublin Fusiliers chairman Tom Burke said they are hoping to raise €6,000 for the plaque which will include an inscription from the poem A Soldier's Grave by Francis Ledwidge, the highest profile Irish casualty of Passchendaele.

The instigator of both memorials is retired Belgian army officer Erwin Ureel who is the co-ordinator of the Willie Redmond/John Meeke centenary commemoration.

Mr Urwell said he was always fascinated by the story of Redmond, especially as a symbol of reconciliation, which is why he has included Meekes in the commemoration.

The National Museum of Ireland in Collins Barracks, Dublin, will host an exhibition about Passchendaele and Messines Ridge in May.