Irish soldier who died for U.S. in WWI battle is honored 94 years later

Dara, the past tense of "lead" is "led."

On a point of information. If Private Edward 'Ned' Brunnock was enlisted in the United States (US) Army, would that not mean he was a US (or American) soldier from Ireland, rather than an Irish soldier in the USA - notwithstanding the relevance of country-of-origin in a truly heterogenous nation. Reminds me of a poem I learned in National School many years ago, which went something like this: "For in the far foreign fields from Dunkirk to Belgrade. Lie the soldiers and chiefs of the Irish Brigade." Visitors to Dublin should take in the free-of-charge 'Soldiers and Chiefs' exhibition in Collins (ex-Royal) Barracks/Museum. Until 2002, it was the oldest military barracks still in occupation in Europe, being built in the 17th century. I had the enormous privilege of serving there in the late 1970's, in the Irish Army's 2nd Garrison Military Police Company, Eastern Command. Apropos Pte 'Ned' Brunnock's memory: 'Ar dheis Dei go raibh a h'anam/May his soul rest on the right hand side of God!'

Many stories are there to be told about Irish-born deaths but few about those left with PTSD which left them unable to function ashore. Few seem to appreciate the contribution of those who criss-crossed the Atlantic over two world wars (I & II) bringing supplies (armaments, food stuff to feed Britain and friends with U-boats ready to pounce. Those who managed to survive laden with guilt due to being lucky survivors went nigh bonkers. Such was a Radio Officer who ended his days in Brisbane in 1948 till his passing in Jan 1966 aged 67 whose death recorded him being 73. His medals for both wars which included Australian - the Pacific Star, etc....... gone lost were in the hands of the QPT but turned over to RSL - never to be found - how glorious must those in possession of his 12 medals feel and be. He was hired by the Admiralty to sail those ships on loan to Britain and when seeking help from Merry O - he was left high and dry. Buried without a marker in one of Brisbane's RC cemetery - upon locating his whereabouts I had a headstone placed over his resting place in Sept 2008. He had no foxholes to jump into other than over the side - just imagine year upon year - 1916-18, 1939-46 no one or more shot finish here.

@ Rebelforce: You may be right but most of the young men who enlisted at that time believed it to be to "Make the World Safe for Democracy". Let's not forget their access to education and information was miniscule compared to now. They generally believed the things they were told by the ruling class, the class which failed them miserably and sent them to their deaths in millions. Haig, in my opinion, was nothing more than a war criminal. His waste of a generation of young men from all parts of the then British Empire was an appalling and futile sacrifice on a holocaust scale for no good purpose. The leaders of the other countries are just as guilty and they created the conditions for the repetition of such futility 21 years later.

I enjoyed this article, I'm glad Ned Brunnock was finally honored. I'm from Massachusetts and I have maternal and paternal Clogheen roots, although mine came to MA in 1847.

The idea that World War I was a heroic struggle to "Make the World Safe for Democracy" has been exposed by most credible historians as largely myth. The great slaughter of World War I was more about keeping those upstart Huns in their place, and "Keeping the World Safe for the British Empire" than anything else.

Ned Brunnock was one of 62 native Irishmen who lost their lived as U.S. soldiers at St. Hurburt in Feb., 1918. It is very fitting that the Fr. Duffy American Lelion post (Killarney) held a ceremony to commerate Ned Brunnock. The Legionnaires of Fr. Duffy post, including my friend Patrick Mulcahy who served as a First Lt. in the National Guard, are all veterans of U.S. military serrvice, mostly during the '50s, '60s and 70s. As a former marine corporal and a curerent member of my local Legion post, I thank the Fr. Duffy post for holding the memorial service. I'd also like to mention that if any Irishman who honorably served in the U.S. military has a grandnephew or g-niece who now seeks a permanent U.S. visa, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for that would-be immigrant to obtain such document. I truly love this great nation, but the servere restrictions on Irish immigrants nowadays is obviously a major injustice.