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

Remarkable story of emigrant who gave everything is remembered

DARA KELLY,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Sunday, August 19, 2012, 7:39 AM

Updated Monday, August 20, 2012, 9:42 AM

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The United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917. Edmond 'Ned' Brunnock, a 28-year-old Irish emigrant, enlisted in the US army in February 1918. After fighting in a horrific battle on the Franco-German Battle, he died from his injuries on October 1.

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A young Irish soldier who died in battle during World War I is now being honored after lying in an unmarked grave for many years.

According to the Irish Independent, 28-year-old Edmond 'Ned' Brunnock emigrated to Dorchester in Massachusetts from Doon, Araglin, on the Cork-Tipperary border. In February 1918, he enlisted in the US army and was sent to the trenches in France.

On September 28, Brunnock's unit— the 306th Division—was involved in a horrific battle with German troops at St Hubert near Boureuilles on the Franco-German border.

He sustained severe injuries as he fought to save his fellow soldiers and died of his wounds four days later on October 1, just two months short of his 29th birthday.

After initially being buried in France, his body, and the bodies of 61 other Irish soldiers who had enlisted in the US army, was disinterred and brought to Dublin in 1922.

Brunnock, who was one of 12 children, was buried alongside his father, Thomas Brunnock, at Shanrahan Cemetery in Clogheen, Co Tipperary.

However, his headstone was left unmarked for over 60 years. In the 1970s, the family did add a small plaque acknowledging his burial but did not specify that he had died bravely fighting as a US soldier.

On Saturday, the American Legion's Fr Duffy Post lead a special ceremony in Clogheen where full military honours were accorded Private Brunnock and a special military grave marker, paid for by the US government and shipped from Washington, was unveiled.

Brunnock's nephew Mike Brunnock told the Irish Independent: "We recognise and honour Edmond as a brave soldier who ... made the ultimate sacrifice ... for the cause of freedom."

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murphy666 | Aug 20, 2012, 07:19 PM EDT

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

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IrelandNorth | Aug 20, 2012, 06:52 AM EDT

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!'

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cillowen | Aug 19, 2012, 06:42 PM EDT

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.

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RichardP | Aug 19, 2012, 03:31 PM EDT

@ 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.

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capecolleen | Aug 19, 2012, 02:48 PM EDT

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.

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Rebelforce | Aug 19, 2012, 09:58 AM EDT

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.

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Seanmor | Aug 19, 2012, 09:17 AM EDT

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.

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