Fond father and war hero

Mayo Post artical by john Healy May 07

REMEMBERING THE DEAD A total of 26 members of the Horkan family of Castlebar visited the Great War cemeteries of northern France recently.Fond father, war heroCounty ViewJohn Healy’s retrospective take on what’s making the newsWHEN 26 members of the Horkan family of Castlebar (representing three generations) visited the Great War cemeteries of northern France recently, it was also to honour an old family commitment.Ninety years earlier, their father, Paddy Horkan, had been awarded the Military Medal for outstanding courage and bravery as battle raged over a small town in north east France.The town was Gavrelle, it was April of 1917, and the Allied forces were fighting tooth and nail to re-take the countryside which had been in German occupation for nearly three years. Castlebar-born Horkan, a private in the Worcestershire Battalion, was a stretcher-bearer who saw at first hand the ravages of war and the needless deaths of hundreds of young men far away from home.His bravery under sustained enemy fire as he criss-crossed the battlefield to save his comrades from certain death was to earn him the coveted Military Medal and the enduring admiration of his fellow soldiers.The honour was a high point in a career and a life story which was so colourful as to be almost of fictional quality. The man who was decorated and lauded by the British army would, within a few short years, return home to pitch his lot with the Irish republican movement whose aim was the downfall of British army power in this country.The story of Paddy Horkan began in 1890 with his birth in Yorkshire to exiled Swinford parents. A short time later the family returned to Mayo where his father, PA Horkan, opened a highly successful plumbing business in Castlebar, where he had also been appointed manager of the local waterworks. In 1915, Paddy Horkan decided to emigrate to Coventry, even though there was plenty of work available for him in his father’s thriving business. In Europe, the ‘war to end all wars’ was entering its second year. Influenced by the heavy propaganda of the time, he decided to join the British army to go and fight for Catholic freedom.His training with the Worcestershire’s was carried out on Salisbury Plain, from where it was off to France with tens of thousands of other younger men. The encounter at Gaurelle came shortly afterwards. Three times he was wounded in the heavy fighting; three times having been patched up at the field hospital, he returned to the front. Injury finally got the better of him and, while waiting at the clearing station to be taken away to hospital, he remembered seeing the pyramid of corpses waiting to be buried.Recovering in hospital in Manchester, Paddy Horkan was destined to meet no less a personage than the King of England. King George came to visit the injured soldiers; because Horkan had been awarded the Military Medal, he was brought outside on his stretcher to be introduced to King George.War hero that he was, Paddy Horkan was court-martialled twice nonetheless. The first was when, home on leave, he decided to desert, believing that the war would be over in a matter of weeks. At the urging of his father, who told him that the charge of desertion would always hang over him, he decided to return. His late return, however, caused trouble. He was court-martialled, and only his explanation of the difficulty he found in travelling across to Ireland, itself in the grip of internal war, saved him.On the second occasion, the charge of refusing to present himself for parade was also dismissed. He was the only Catholic in his battalion and, because there was no Catholic chaplain, he argued that his religion forbade him to attend a parade which essentially was a Protestant service.In 1918, Paddy Horkan left the British army and returned to Castlebar for what he hoped would be a rest. It was a short-lived rest. A group of local republicans, aware of his family’s nationalistic leanings, approached him to join them so as to teach the rebels some military tactics. He joined Castlebar A company of the West Mayo Brigade of the Old IRA, was promoted to the rank of company captain, and went on to play a major role in the War of Independence.A man of immense bravery, commitment and dedication, he commanded huge respect in republican circles, both locally and nationally. He had seen service in two wars; as a young man he had seen the carnage of World War I on the bloody battlefields of Europe; as an older man, he had played his part in the fight for Irish freedom against the Empire he had once fought for.The late Michael J Egan of Castlebar often recalled the delightful story of the re-enactment of the famed ‘Races of Castlebar’ held in 1948. The colourful pageant was to be the highlight of the celebrations; the only problem lay in trying to get local actors – fearful of being branded as pro-British – to play the part of the Redcoat army. Inspiration struck when Michael J approached Paddy Horkan and asked him, in the interests of the town, to consider playing a British officer. The freedom fighter readily agreed; when the word got out that Paddy Horkan was to play the part, all further reluctance to fill the British uniforms disappeared!Paddy Horkan died in July of 1982, aged 92. He had been confined to his sick bed as a general election was called. His friends, old and trusted friends, called to him to warn that, because of his weak condition, he best not go to cast his vote. But they were wrong.The old fighting spirit was still there on election day. Patriotic and resplendent in his wheelchair, he made his way to the courthouse to cast his vote. His old friends had gathered to witness the stirring moment, among them his friend and physician, Dr John Langan, and the legendary Pat Lavelle.For old time’s sake, they adjourned to King’s in Spencer Street, where the old man treated them to a drink. It was the last hurrah. With that, he retired to his bed and passed away quietly

Horkan Clan News.
The follow up to our trip France to visit the places of Dad’s WW1 military medal award, the press report can be read on the Web page of the Mayo News this week
( John Healy’s County View Fond father, war hero.) www.mayonews.ie May 15 and Mayo Advertiser May 4, www.mayoadvertiser.com Fiona Mc Garry’s Three Generations re-trace Castlebar Man’s WW1 journey. Fiona as editor of the Mayo advertiser made the trip with us and had a 2 page coverage of the visit, the Connacht Telegraph having been up staged, refused to give the trip any mention. up staged refused th us and had a 2 page coverage ealy's

Regards Sean

Some more photos

Hi folks,

it's great to see some of the photos from what was a fantastic trip - also Fiona's article, really good. I've uploaded the photos I took to a website called Bubbleshare. They can be viewed by clicking on www.bubbleshare.com/album/162163 - unfortunately I don't have any after Gavrelle.

Putting the photos up on Bubbleshare is relatively easy and this might be a good way for us to share them with each other. If you want to have a go and need a hand give me a shout.

Feargal

Mayo Advertiser Artical on Trip.

Mayo Advertiser Article by Fiona Mc Garry editor who joined the group on our trip. Many thanks to Fiona for her very professional coverage of our story. Click on the link below

http://www.mayoadvertiser.com/index.php?aid=1977

Night Life in Arras

Enjoying a few french beers.

Saturday night entertainment by the Pipe band from London


Getting Ready for the night Club. ..................

Area around Gravrelle where battle was fought on the 28th april 1917
http://www.webmatters.net/maps/ww1_map_arras_cem.htm

Sites visited by the group

Saturday

Point du Jour

9th Scottish Division memorial at the point du jour, on the 9th of april the battle frist main objective was take here. It was the longest single advance since the somme , a distance of three and half miles.

Betty, Pasty and Henry sign the Visitors book at point du Jour.

Gavrelle

Royal Naval Division 8 Battalions Memorial of incl Grandas Battalions of the 14th Worcestershire Regiment on the road into Gavrelle.

Royal Naval Trench Cemetery

Overlooking Gavrelle Sean Pasty Betty and Henry.

Vic our guide for the day speaks about the history of the battle of Gavrelle and the role of the regiment. Huge well of knowledge.

Peter and Henry have a break from the sun

North of Gavrelle
The Windmill site where Granda won his medal on the 28th of April 1917 under fire Carried many lads into safety while he was wounded. A special place to visit.

Alex O Neill find a few shots and bullet on the windmill site. Great momentums to bring home.

Our Guides Simon and Vic with Jonathan

3 generations of Horkans return 90 yrs to the day.

14th BN Worcestershire memorial Gravelle

The whole group at Grandas regiment memorial site at the edge of Gravelle where he won his medal for bravery on 28th of April 1917 . It was 90 years to the day.

Paddy Horkan WW1 M.M. Gavrelle 1917

This is a report following after Mary and I visited the Island of Ireland Peace Park in Nov. 2003,
from information I had gathered over the years and data I had of Dad's regiment the Worcestershires.
It was written for the parish magazine that Christmas but was held over by the Connacht Telegraph for an early edition of the newspaper in 2004. Sean


Patrick Horkan By Sean Horkan
WW1 Military Medal, Gavrell France April 28/29 1917
Visiting The Island of Ireland Peace Park on an October evening 2003, made all we have read about the Great World War, very real.
Visiting its lovely Irish Round Tower and seeing in the records there that a Patrick Horkan of Swinford and Patrick Horkan of Foxford were killed in action and are buried in a unmarked grave somewhere in the Ypres Salient. How fortunate are we, and our Horkan clan, that Patrick Horkan of Castlebar came trough that great conflict and made it home after that Great War.
Looking out on the beautiful landscape, the Flanders Fields sweeping away from the Messines Ridge the site of this Irish Peace Park
the lines of John Mc Crae poem

“ In Flanders Field” came very much alive,
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our places, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below Etc. etc.

In the distance the hills, over the French border, quite close-by is the village of Gavrele, where in 1917 Dad, Patrick Horkan from Castlebar was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in action, as stretcher bearer of the 14th Worchester, Pioneer Battalion, A Company of the Royal Naval Division, attached to the 63rd. Division, Anson Battalion.

I read in the WW1 records of the Battle of Arelux:
“By the time that all were in position, dawn had broken( April29th.)and the battle was raging on all sides. Gavrelle lies in a fold in the ground. To the eastward a maze of German trenches stretches across low-lying ground. Those trenches had been taken during the previous day, but had been retaken by the German counter-attacks. On the low ridge immediately above the northern exits of the village a fierce struggle was raging around the ruins of a conspicuous Windmill, which was being stoutly defended by a party of Marines.
Just as A Company reached the British front line the Anson Battalion advanced in a renewed attack against the German trenches east of the village. A protracted struggle followed amid shell-fire, which rendered everything obscure.
The enemy attempted to follow up their success, but were met with a steady fire from the Worcestershire Company, which effectually checked any advance.
Meanwhile on the left, the Marines have gallantly held the Windmill.
Heavy fighting continued all day but died away at nightfall, leaving the 63rd Division, sorely depleted, in the trenches they had held before the battle, but with the captured Windmill secured as an advanced post.
“A” Company was admitted by all to have behaved splendidly(c);
(c note says “for gallantry during the day two stretcher-bearers of the Battalion Pte P. Horkan and C. Rooke, were awarded the M. M.)
so much so that when the remainder of the Brigade was relived during the following night (April 29th/30th) the Worcestershire company was left to hold the north-eastern corner of the village during the relief and did not rejoin the remainder of the Battalion until the following night.
· The 63rd Division then moved out of the line to rest and train, on 30th the 14th Worcestershire made a short move westward to St. Aubin, whence the Poineers went out on many working parties during the next three weeks”.

The daily war diaries entries, signed by Lt. Col. C.H. Gascoigne (who was one of the many letter writers to the Horkan home at Castle St. Castlebar, following the notice of awarding of the M.M. in May)
gives details of the work of the companies of the Pioneer Btn. each day.
The entries as follows, for the:
28th April, at 9.0p.m. without previous warning the whole Battalion were urgently ordered to march in Battle Order without tools to report to O.C. Ansons Battalion then holding the front line as Right Battalion of 188thBrigade, who were holding the Divisional front. Lewis Guns were taken, but there were no time to issue rations, and all ranks lived on their iron rations the following day. The Battalions were placed as follows: “A” Company to Anson Battalion, “C” Company to 1st R.N.L.I., “B” Company to H.A.C., all in the front line, and “D” Company in reserve. Six Lewis Guns were put on Anson Battalion front and two with the Reserve Company, - Headquarters of the Battalion under Lt.Col,C.H. Gascoigne were established in the Reserve Line with the Headquarters of the Anson Battalion.
29th April During the early morning Anson Battalion, with “A2 company and Lewis Guns repelled by Rifle and Lewis Gun Fire, with artillery assistance, a counter attack dispersing the enemy before his attack had fully developed. During the day no other attack developed.
30th April The Battalion, less “A” Company were relived at 3.0 a.m. by units of the 93rd Brigade, 31st Division, and during their 30 hour in the trenches sustained the following casualties:- Killed, 2 other ranks, Wounded, 2nd Lieut W.S.Roper 11 other ranks. The Battalion – less Company “A” in the line – moved by March route to St. Aubin.

"Entry for 25th May accounts for the news of: 30363 Pte. Horkan P. awarded the Military Medal for at GAVRELLE on the morning of April 29th the men of the Coy. to which Pte. Horkan belongs whilst advancing over the open ground to a fresh position were caught in an enemy barrage. Several men were wounded and were consequently left on the top without cover. Pte. Horkan who is a stretcher-bearer showed great courage and devotion to duty in getting to these men under enemy fire, tendering their wounds, and eventually bringing them under cover.
He himself was wounded but returned to duty after getting the men to the dressing station and having his own wound attended to. "

The war diaries entries are normanly short and to the point, which shows the importance of the Pioneer Batt. involvement on April 28/29/30,
as in reports show
for: April 19th Work as yesterday.
(note: the Pioneer was a work corps, who had to keep the roads, trenches in good repair with basic tools and also take part in the fighting)
April 20th. Work on the road progressing satisfactorily.
C.E. X111 Corps went over it with Commanding Officer.
April 21st Work as yesterday. Major Hayward admitted hospital.
April 22nd Work as yesterday.
April 23rd to 27th detailed the extra activity for work in consolidating the front line
as in April 26th entry: “A and B Companies on road works.
C and D Companies in front line trenches
making strong points in front of Gavrelle. ”
Gravelle is a small village in the north east of France, population of 800 and was totally destroyed in April 1917.

In 1914 German invasion, Gavrell was occupied and remained so in 1915/1916.
In early 1916 the Germans went on the offensive and attached Verdun.
1916 is notable for the Battle of the Somme, as well as Verdun, but fighting also occurred at Vimy Ridge. All the offensives of 1915 and 1916 altered the Front Line very little, all that seemed to result was an increase in the size of the numerous military cemeteries in that area, including the German cemetery at Gravelle.
The winter of 1916/17 was the hardest in memory, creating great hardship in the trenches and behind the lines. In the occupied villages the houses were stripped for firewood, even staircases were chopped up and replaced by ladders.
Because of the Royal Navy blockade of Germany, there were acute shortages of food and materials. The French population of the occupied areas were regarded as extra mouths to feed and by march 1917 most of the villagers of Gavrelle were sent to un-occupied France via Switzerland.

Even as early as April signs of spring had not yet arrived. If the cold was deadly in the trenches, it was worse above the trenches, in an open cockpit, Peter Warren RFC (one of Manfred von Richthofen’s victims), explains the extreme weather conditions on 2 April 1917, the day he was shot down over Vimy Ridge. “We left the aerodrome at 10-30 in the morning. The weather was bad-rain and hail, with almost a gale blowing in the direction of the German lines. Our faces were covered with whale oil to prevent frost-bite. So many flyers had to be laid up with frost-bitten faces that the use of the grease was compulsory, and a case of frost-bite became an offence calling for a court martial”.
The Battle of Arras started on Easter Monday 9 April 1917, after a weeks long bombardment. The weather was still wintery, with a bitter westerly wind and snow flurries. Accounts of the first day of the Battle of Arras are often dominated by the Canadian Corps, which captured Vimy Ridge, but the XV11 Corps advanced to the German 3rd line of defence and captured a strong point known as Hyderabad Redoubt, south of Gavrelle. This was a distance of five kilometres and the Official History states; it was the longest advance in a single day since trench warfare had started in 1914. An advancing patrol had to contend with, heavily fired on, cutting gaps in the wire, clear outposts and heavily defended trenches, snipers lying in the ground and come under machine-gun fire from the North and South.
After years of being several kilometres behind the front, Gavrelle was now the German Front Line. The actions from 9-14 April 1917 are known as the First Battle of the Scarpe. Another attack of 23 April was known as the Second Battle of the Scarpe. Gavrelle was important because it was part of the Arleux Loop, a defensive line of significant importance. The Germans wanted to hold the allied armies on this line whilst their half-finished defences behind were completed, part of The Siegfied Line. To capture of the important high ground to the North of the village, giving excellent observation of practically the whole Douai plain, fell to the 63rd Royal Naval Division and was an important part of this unique Division’s history. In the days after 23April the German artillery was very active, constantly trying to blast the RND out of their gains.

On 28April a second British attack around Gavrelle was planned.
Its objective was to take the windmill, and the high ground to the north east of Gavrelle, which were barring any advance out of, and threatening the British hold on, Gavrelle. Things at the end of the day were virtually the same as at the start, except that the strategically important Windmill position and the high ground it stood on were taken and held. The rest of the front line was the same, except that two Royal Marine battalions had been hammered, along with a company of Anson Battalion. The losses for the Royal Marines Light Infantry were, and still are, the largest casualty list for one day’s fighting in its history, which amounted to 850 all ranks with a high fatal to wounded ratio of almost one to one, whereas it would be normally one to three.

The Royal Naval Division (RND) was a unique formation, formed in 1914 on the outbreak of the war using surplus naval reservists when there were more men than boats. The division was sent to Belgium in October 1914 to assist around Antwerp, but after a short while were withdrawn, losing a third of its strength in Holland or taken prisoner. The division was reconstructed with new recruits from all over the country, took part in Gallipoli campaign. Again reconstructed, and was ordered to France.
The division proved its worth in the Somme campaign, at Beaumont Hamel and Beaucourt.
The Division fought around the Ancre in February, pushing the line forward before the Germans abandoned their lines and withdrew in March.
The RND was moved down to the Arras sector for the Arras offensive and ready for their date with history at Gavrelle.
The T.Tasker-K. Tallett book “BattlegroundEurope GAVELLE” gives an account of the Gavrelle fighting and says “ this action was a defining moment in the Royal Naval Division as it was at Gavrelle that almost the last of the originals were killed off, those Gallipoli survivors and those who had just come back from wounds incurred at Beaucourt. Gavrelle was the deathbed of the original RND.
The Division was rebuilt with men who had inherited a reputation, which they enhanced at Poelcappele, Welsh Ridge, and the Somme in March 1918 and on the finial advance to victory when it breached the Queant-Drocourt line, the Canal du Nord, and with the 57th Division, helped capture Cambrai.
They had a unique esprit de corps, and constantly had to fight the Army as well as the Germans for its survival. The division was disbanded in early 1919, never to reform, so became a wartime only formation.
During its short history it gained six VCs and suffered 45,000 casualties”

Information on Gavrelle visit

E Mail received today re our trip. Sean

Back to the Package I sent today.

I know you have little time when in Gavrelle but I have sent info on 3 cemeteries. These cemeteries are important as regards your father.
In the Gavrelle guide I have a walk around Gavrelle, however, if you walk from the Mayor's House to Naval Trench Cemetery, this
would be the route your father went back and forth. Being a strecher bearer they would work from dugout aid posts and dressing stations,
those who died were buried outside the dugout and the wounded being taken back to HQ west of Bailleul (via Point-du-Jour).
So try to visit (by road) Point-du-Jour and Bailleul Road East Cemetery.
On page 166 I mention about stretcher bearer Frank Durham taking a killed comrade back to be buried, and attending a service by a padre.
I have listed the 11 14/Woresters buried in this cemetery. Worth rre-eading the write up on this cemetery, also my write-up on St.Laurent-Blangy German Cemetery
esp. the bit about the dugouts in the side of the railway cuttings, Bois de la Maision see trench map on page 175.
TREVOR

Info. on following E Mail

E Mail below is from Trevor Tasker who with K. Tasker are the authors of the WW1 book I got the details of the WW1 campain around Gavrelle and Arras.
Trevor has kept in contact over the years, and last week he sent by post, some maps of Gavrell war trench lay out and the 14th Worcestershire Regt. involvement.
This weeks E Mail is from his present visit to Arras. Sean

Trevors News from Arras -- Sean

Sorry about the delay (as regards your e-mails)
Been very busy with my trip to Arras - will be leaving in a weeks time,
before I leave will get another package posted.
Found your hotel is near the rail station, but will send the steet plan anyway,
The Irish pub "Ould Shebeen" (also near the station - will mark on map) has just been sold and
I do not know if the new owners - like the last will even be Irish.
Will be in Arras 4-11 April so will have time to post an update (ie after visiting the tourist office, reading the local paper
while having a beer in a cafe, etc).
TREVOR
PS Irish pub only opened in the evening/late night - or should I say was.

14thWorcestershires Pioneer Batt. A Company RND

Paddy Horkan WW1. Battle of Arras. By Sean Horkan

I have been asked to fill in some of the background of why we are going to France in April, the simple answer is that it is 90 years since Dad was awarded the Military Medal for bravery there in 1917, and the Horkan family should be there to mark the event.
For many years growing up we were aware that Dad took part in the Great War and had the M.M. but little more information of what happened there, we had more information of his part in the old IRA and the Civil war, but not a lot of that either.
We knew of the war-medals from both conflicts, mounted together and framed by Henry, with the WW1 Military Medal inscribed Pte. P. Horkan 30363, Gavrelle 1917, we had the letters sent home to Castle Street from Dad’s commanding officers, and later the taped interviews with Peter, Patsy and transcribed by Seamus, we had more references to his WW1 experiences, as a enlisted solder in 1915 in the 14th.Worcestershire Battalion and activity on the front lines.
In an interview with Michael Mullen Dad described the training on the Salisbury Plains, the dispatch to France in 1915, marching to the town of Albert and the action in the Battle of Arras, all in a offhanded way.
I was always intrigued by the Military Medal and the details of why it was awarded; over a numbers of years I was making inquiries.
First with the war office in London where I found that most of the WW1 records were lost in the Second World War, as a result of the London blitz.
I then tried the Worcestershire Regiment, to find that Dad served in the 14th Battalion of the 63rd. division and with no more information again on account of poor records left.
Next I tried the museum of the Worcestershire Regiment and found out, that Dad was attached to the RND, Royal Naval Division, A Company Pioneer Batt.
This came about by a lucky encounter, I had been in correspondence with the Worcestershire museum following leads, when a Captain Love (retired), a volunteer working in the museum there wrote that the War Diaries of the 14th Worcestershire, in the action around the Battle of Arras, had just been found and he sent me copies of the April days leading up to the engagement at Gavrelle where Pte. P. Horkan was in the particular action was awarded the M.M., also a copy of the War Diary for May 1917, when the awarding of the M.M. was announced to the Battalion, hence the 3 letters home to Castlebar from the Officers of the Worcestershires.
Those war diaries gave the information that enabled the particulars of the RND involvement in the Battle of Arras, and the Gravelle campaign, be recorded and the record of the pioneers of the 14th Batt. and their involvement there be included in the history of the Worcestershire Regiment.
The printing of the Tasker- Tallet book “ Gavelle Battleground Europe” was assisted by the finding of those War Diaries, great that the letters and the copies of the war diaries I received are in the safe keeping of Eamon.
Author Trevor Tasker has kept up the correspondence and last week I received from Trevor, some more details and maps of the Gravelle engagement and what is to be found there today.
In an earlier letter, in reply to some of the details I sent of Dad’s WW1 and IRA record, he stated as a military historian “ I’d love to have had a pint with that man”.
Gavrelle is a small village in the northeast of France, with a population of 800, and was totally destroyed in April 1917. In the 1914 German invasion, Gavrelle was occupied and remained so in 1915-1916, and to April 1917, all the offensives of 1915-1916 altered the front line very little; all that seemed to result was an increase in the size of the numerous military cemeteries in that area.
The winter of 1916-17, and the very cold spring was the hardest in memory, creating extreme hardship in the trenches and behind the lines.
The Royal Naval Division (RND) was a unique formation, formed in 1914 on the outbreak of the war, using surplus naval reservists when there were more men than boats, it fought in Belgium and Holland and there loosing a third of its strength.
The division was reconstructed and took part in Gallipoli campaign, and later was ordered to France where it proved its worth in the Somme campaign, at Beaumont Hamel and Beaucourt, and fought around Ancre in February.
The RND was moved down to Arras sector for the Arras offensive and ready for their date with history at Gavrelle.
Gavrelle was important because it was part of the Arleux line, a defensive line of significant importance.
The Germans wanted to hold the allied armies in this line whilst their half-finished defences behind were completed, as part of The Siegfried Line (famous in the English music-hall comic song " we'll hang out our washing on the Siegfried Line"

The Battle of Arras started on Easter Monday April 9, 1917 after a weeklong bombardment, the actions from 9-14 April are known as the First Battle of the Scarpe.
Another attack on April 23 was known as The Second Battle of the Scarpe.
The capture of the important high ground to the north of the village, giving excellent observation of practically the whole Douai plain, fell to the 63rd. Royal Naval Division and was a significant part of this unique division’s history.
In the days after the 23 April the German artillery was very active, constantly trying to blast the RND out of their gains.
On the 28 April a second British attack around Gavrelle was planned.
The WW1 records now give detailed accounts of the RND Pioneer 14th Battalion involvement on the 28-29 &30 April at Gavrelle, the war-diary account of those days are recorded in my article in the Connacht Telegraph, and now at Gavrelle we will get more on-the-ground information of this engagement, when we visit there in April.
In the Worcestershire Regiment history, in the record of Dad’s “A" company it says, “ A Company was admitted by all to have behaved splendidly (for gallantry during the day two stretcher-bearers of the Battalion, Ptes. C. Rooke and P. Horkan, were awarded the M.M.); so much so that when the remainder of the 188th Brigade was relieved during the following night (April 29th/30th.), by the troops of the 31st Division, the Worcestershire company was left to hold the north-east corner of the village during the relief and did not rejoin the remainder of the Battalion until the following night".
The Tasker-Tallett book, “Gavrell, Battleground Europe”, gives an account of the Gavrelle fighting and says; “ this action was a defining moment in the Royal Naval Division, as it was at Gavrelle that almost the last of the originals were killed off, as well as Gallipoli survivors and those who had just come back from wounds incurred at Beaucourt, Gavrell was the deathbed of the original RND.”
The losses for the Royal Marines there were, and still are the largest casualty list for one day’s fighting in its history, which amounted to 850 all ranks with a fatal to wounded ratio of almost one to one, whereas it would be normally one to three. The division was disbanded in early 1919, never to reform, and so become a wartime only formation.
Sean.

Copy of WW1 letters recieved by Paddy in Castlebar

Letter no 1

14th. (s) Bn. Worcestershire,
No. 30366 Pte. P. Horkan
A Company


I wish to offer you my congratulations on gaining the Military Medal during the operation at GAVRELLE on April 29th, this bringing honour to our Battalion.
I have pleasure of enclosing a piece of ribbon for your tunic.

C. H. Gascoigne Lt. Col.

May 25th.1917.

-------------------------------------

Letter no 2

B. E. S.
26 th May 1917
My Dear Boy,
I cannot say how pleased I was to hear that your bravery has been awarded & that you have got the Military medal. A medal medal in itself is a mere bit of metal but when as in your case it represents devotion to duty, courage in the face of the greatest danger it becomes more precious than gold. I send you my heartiest congratulations & as your medical officer my sincerest thanks. I trust your wound will soon be well, I hear it is progressing favourably that you shall soon be back with us when I shall feel it an honour to shake you by the hand. You will be pleased to hear that the battalion got out with remarkable few causalities& that Cook ( I think this should be Rook, Dad’s fellow stretcher- bearer) your bearer is again back with us quite recovered.
Have a good time while you are at home
With all good wishes
Yours sincerely

D. Matthew Cap R.A. M.S.



-------------------------------------------------------
Letter no 3

20 th. May 1917


Dear Horkan,
The Sgt. Major &
evening he had heard from your ( This section of the pare is missing)
like to send you a note
glad I am that you are going
and to thank you for all
I know you belong to
you’re half No4 as you al
my own 3 B. your work
so willing
wounded way out of the line or if it was only
you bring in a cup of tea as you used to
do when we got back from Purl French to those
little dugout on the Nacre – and your calm way of doing your “bit” and the courage you always showed was an example to all & I was always very (underlined) proud of my stretcher-bearers. I hope you continue to make good progress and come back to
“A” company soon after you had a nice holiday at your home in Ireland and when you feel well enough should like to hear from you.
With all best wishes
Yours very sincerely

Glanvilk Roberts 2nd. Lieut


P.S. M stretcher is out this evening at the same spot we spent that Sunday on
I’m quite sure he would wish to confirm all I have said. HGR.

Sorry cant be with you, ed.

The Cashel Park Clan will be in Gursney, Channel Islands, for the 28th April, for Ann Marie's 40th. Birthday. We will try to organize a trip later for our crew, it is a pity we all will not be together. However have a wonderful time and we will be thinking of you. Best Regards Eamonn

E-mail to sean on war diary

Many thanks for your e-mail letter,
good news, I found a box of Gavrelle photocopies that contained photocopies of RND War Diary pages and trench maps
will photocopy a few things, work on them over the weekend, and post on MONDAY morning.
The pages for the 28/29 are very interesting. As you may know the pioneers usually do not see that much action (being trench diggers etc),
however, a coy of 14th Worcesters were sent to join the regular troops NE of Gravrelle (ie near windmill) they became isolated and when The RND were withdrawn on the night of the 29th the Worcesters had to stay until the next day - very unusual.
If your grandfather won the MM at this time, he must have been with these men, over the weekend will try and see if I can plot exactly where NE of
Gavrelle they were.
So something in the post, you should get this on Wednesday I think (the day you got my last letter)
Will be accessing my e-mails again (via Swansea Library) Monday 11-midday.
TREVOR

Greetings from Castlebar

Hi Clan!
Greetings from Castlebar, it is heartning to see all the family on the Move to France where Dad was having a more difficult trip just 90 years ago.
Its great to see a wonderfull take-up from the members of the next generation. John said last week-end "Dad lets go" and within a day it was on. Thanks to Shane in Belfast for getting in straight away with the information on accomodation and car hire. Monday evening I trying to deal with the Hotels in Gavrelle, I with no French anf they with no English and trying to tell me they were booked out with a wedding and I telling that I wanted 7 rooms and what kind of a deal I could get. Well done Shane!
The Blogger is great, everyone can now keep in touch with all the moves.
This morning I was on to a guide and I'm working on a Saturday tour of the Gavrelle WW1 area.
It will cost €350, split between the 16 confirmed, with a possible few extra, will work out well in time saved trying to find locations and getting the local experience from a profesional guide.
Is this ok?
I asked for a price for a bus to hire so all could be togeather in the tour around the Gavrelle area
I have suggested that he also advises on stops coming from the airport and on the return journey on Sunday.
There are some amazing places to visit on route, the town of Mons, in Belguim on the way from the airport, this is where the early start to the WW1 started and where Mons Tce. in Castlebar was called after.
On the way back to the airport it should be possible to visit the Irish Peace Park and Round Tower in Belgium and the towm of Ypres where the famous Monin Gate memorial wher every evening since 1918 the last post is sounded, all in the Flanders fields.

Great to see April 28/29 coming on target and the family there to be part.

Regards Sean.

Car Hire

Shane have checked out all the main car hire companys. Here is his recommondations.

"I have also booked a hire car from Brussels Charleroi airport. I checked
through Hertz, Avis etc. and came across Europcar as being the best value -
www.europcar.be. I have booked a Renault Scenic (5 seater MPV) for the 3
days for GBP 74 - approx. Euro 100. There are various types available -
check it out and see what suits best."

Hotel -Express By Holiday Inn Arras

We are Staying at the Holiday Inn Express Arras (3 star) -3 RUE DOCTEUR BRASSART ARRAS, 62000 FRANCE Hotel Front Desk: 033-3-21608888 Hotel Fax: 033-3-21608900


You can book your room at this web site.
Web link. http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hotel/LILAR?&


The hotel is a 3 star , basic standard ,has large lounge / bar, 98 bedrooms, location : dowtown close to shopping, bars / restaurants, UNESCO world heritage site belfry etc. It should make a good base for us.

Again thanks to Shane for looking at all the hotel options recommonding this one

Hello from London!

Great idea to set-up this site, the trip is an excellent idea and I'm sure will be a great success from looking at the list of 'notables' already confirmed. I'm going to get the Eurostar from London to Calais and see you all sometime on the 27th.
This article http://www.worcestershireregiment.com/wr.php?main=inc/bat_14 (copy and paste into your internet browser) recounts the battle at Gavrelle where Granda won his Military Medal for gallantry. Granda is also mentioned in this article which recounts the history of the Worcester Regiment.
It's not too many men who fought in WW1, The War of Independance and then took the Republican side in the Civil War - and its great and fitting that Paddy Horkan is remembered in this way.
If any of you want to get in touch, email me @ henry.horkan@bordbia.ie

Hello From Drogheda !!

Hi All,

John - great idea to set up this bolg. I'm really looking forward to meeting up with you all and learning a bit more about our family history.

I'm on code red at the moment - Saragh is 39 weeks pregnant so awaiting call to the hospital at any point now.

I'll forward on any pieces of info I come across re Belgium - sum of knowledge at the moment is that they make some good beer in this region. It's a start at least!!

Johnny.

Map of Gavrelle/Arras area in France - Google Maps

gavrelle - Google Maps

The plan so far

The Plan is to fly to Brussels from Shannon on Friday morning 27th of April arrive Brussels 14.25 and travel back on Sunday 29th. Leaving Brussels at 19.20. Shane and Jonathan are traveling from Dublin early on friday.

Hire transport in Brussels and travel to the Arras/ Gavrelle area in nothern france.

We are currently checking out Hotel accomdation and putting together information on the area. Shane is doing a lot of work on this and will keep us all posted.

Sean is following up on information on ww1 tours and getting detail of the battles etc during Granda time in France.

Horkan Somme 90th anniversary trip

Paddy Horkan wearing his military medals while meeting dev.