Photograph, medals and official correspondence || My Great-Grandfather, Francis Stafford was the son of a policeman from Castletown, Gorey in County Wexford, Ireland. He was born c.1875 and joined the army at an early age. Having seen service in India and in the Boer War, he returned to Ireland in 1902 where he worked as a labourer in the famous Guinness Brewery, married Gertrude Moore of Dublin and had a family. At the outbreak of the Great War, he re-enlisted as part of Kitchener's New Army, joining up with the 6th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, at the rank of Rifleman. The Battalion was part of the 29th Brigade of the 10th (Irish) Division of the New Army, and was ordered to the Gallipoli Campaign under General Stopford. Having assembled on the Island of Lemnos, Greece, in August 1915, the Battalion was deployed in support of the Australian and New Zealand forces at Anzac Cove. In support of the advance on the high ground at Chunuk Bair, the Battalion suffered heavy casualties, and on 11th August, 1915, Francis Stafford having been promoted to Lance-Corporal, was reported missing in action. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial at Gallipoli. || || Lance-Corporal (then Rifleman) Francis Stafford || Photograph || Rifleman Francis Stafford Prior to Embarcation || Studio Portrait of Francis Stafford. Appears to have been retouched. The only known surviving photo of my Great-Grandfather || || Front || Medal || Lance-Corporal Francis Stafford || My great-grandfather, Francis Stafford's Victory Medal || || Medal || Francis Stafford's Gallipoli Star Medal || Front || || Francis Stafford's Gallipoli Star Medal (Reverse) || Medal || || Front || Francis Stafford's British War Medal || Medal || || Medal || Francis Stafford's Regimental Cap Badge || || Letter conveying Victory Medal and British War Medal on behalf of Lance-Corporal Francis Stafford to his widow, Gertrude Stafford, my great-grandmother. || London || Official document || Letter from HM Record Office re: Francis Stafford || Lance-Corporal Francis Stafford || || Official document || Letter from HM Record Office re: Francis Stafford || Letter conveying 1914-1915 (Gallipoli) Star Medal on behalf of Lance-Corporal Francis Stafford to his widow Gertrude, my great-grandmother. || London || || Official document || Letter from King George V to Gertrude Stafford, widow of Lance-Corporal Francis Stafford || Letter from the King accompanying Memorial Plaque and Scroll of Lance-Corporal Francis Stafford. Preserved with great pride by his widow, Gertrude Stafford of New Bride Street, Dublin, my great-gandmother. || || Lance-Corporal Francis Stafford || Memorial Plaque of Lance-Corporal Francis Stafford || Memorabilia || The Memorial Plaque was proudly displayed in its frame by my great-grandmother, Gertrude Stafford of New Bride Street, Dublin, widow of Lance-Corporal Francis Stafford. || London || || Memorial Scroll of Lance-Corporal Francis Stafford || Memorabilia || London || The Memorial Scroll was proudly displayed in its frame by my great-grandmother, Gertrude Stafford of New Bride Street, Dublin, widow of Lance-Corporal Francis Stafford. || Lance-Corporal Francis Stafford

Michael O'Connor was originally from 3 Allen Street in Wexford town. He was born c. 1899 one of thirteen children born to Martin and Annie O'Connor. His family were carters so presumably he would have worked in the family business. It is not clear when he enlisted but it is thought that he served with the Royal Irish Regiment. By 1917 he was Lance Corporal Michael O'Connor, serving with 16th Division of the Irish Brigade and had received a commendation for gallant conduct. After the war he married and resided in a Royal British Legion house in John's Road, Wexford town. He died in the mid-1950s and is buried in Crosstown Cemetery, Wexford. || Photo of Michael O'Connor; Brass cigarette box, Christmas 1914 || || Lance Corporal Michael O'Connor || Photograph || Michael O'Connor || || Brass cigarette box, Christmas 1914 || Other

Story: Joseph Roberts was born in 1894, the son of Robert and Margaret Roberts, South Main Street, Wexford, Ireland. He married Annie Walsh in 1915 and they had one daughter, Margaret (contributor Anne Kirwan’s mother). They lived at 9 Bride Place in Wexford town. He joined the army at age 22, signing up to the South Lancashire Regiment in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, service number 31442. Joseph is mentioned on the family gravestone in St Ibar’s Cemetery, Crosstown, Wexford as having been killed in France. His body was not recovered but Anne Kirwan discovered his name on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium. However on visiting the area she found that Joseph had been killed in action on Ravensberg Hill near Bailleul, near the French-Belgian border, on 14 April 1918. Joseph’s war record was never mentioned in the family, perhaps because in Ireland during and after the War of Independence, there was a sense of unease about family members who had served in the British Army. || Photograph of Joseph Roberts in uniform; Death Plaque || || Photograph || Joseph Roberts in uniform || Joseph Roberts || Joseph Roberts in the uniform of the South Lancashire Regiment. || || Death Plaque, Joseph Roberts || Joseph Roberts || Medal