Pte Richard McEvoy

Richard was one of the Irish Guards who were stationed at Warley during the first world war for training. His records disagree on where he was born, one saying Heronstown, County Meath, and another saying he was born at Rathbranbeg, Collon, County Louth. The latter is more likely, as he enlisted while living at Drogheda, County Louth, which is a town not far from Collon.

By January 1916 he was at Warley training to go to France.

At a little after 10am on Saturday 8th January 1916, Richard 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. Richard and two other soldiers, Dominick Doyle and Bernard Duggan, approached to see what was wrong and were quickly shouted at to stay back - but it was too late. The granade exploded, killing Richard instantly and leaving the other two fatally wounded.

It is not clear exactly how old he was when he was killed - his tombstone says he was 36 years old, but when his death was registered his age was given as 33. He was buried in Lorne Road Cemetery with full military honours.