Pte Dominick Doyle

Dominick was from Bannavane, Co. Galway, Ireland. He was born in about 1891, and joined the Irish Guards at Warrington in Lancashire. The 2nd Battalion Irish Guards was formed in July 1915 at Warley and Dominick trained at the barracks there before going to France on 16th Aug 1915.

Dominick had returned from France and had been moved to the 3rd Battalion Irish Guards, stationed again at Warley. At a little after 10am on 8th January 1916 he was part of a group of soldiers being trained how to fire rifle granades. One of these granades failed to explode and had been prepared to be reused, but again failed to go off. Dominick and two other soldiers, Bernard Duggan and Richard McEvoy, approached to see what was wrong and were quickly shouted at to stay back - but it was too late. The granade exploded, killing McEvoy instantly and leaving the other two fatally wounded.

Dominick died the next day and the three men were buried at Lorne Road Cemetery on 12th January 1916. Each coffin was placed on a gun carriage draped with the Union flag, with the cap, belt, and sticks of each soldier on top. A large number of locals and soldiers turned out to pay their respects - so many that entry to the churchyard itself was restricted only to soldiers.