Telling Their Stories - Remembering the High School Past Pupils Who Fought and Died in the Great War

Louis Barron and his pals from the 7th Battalion Border Regiment

Colourized by D. Curran, 4th Year HSD

Some sixty-nine past pupils of The High School Dublin, lost their lives in The First World War.  Their names have long graced the walls of our school, commemorated on a handsome plaque next to a beautiful, stained-glass memorial window.

In this, the centenary year of the beginning of WWI, our aim is to gather together information on the men who bravely gave their lives in a most selfless way.  If you have any information relating to the men listed here, or to other past pupils who fought in both World Wars, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

We would like to thank the tireless researchers who have contributed to this website: the late Patrick Hogarty, from the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association; High School archivist, Alan Phelan; WWI specialist and prolific author Tom Burnell, historians Ken Kinsella, Patrick Hugh Lynch, David Power, Michael Pegum, Mal Murray, Pól Ó Duibhir, Tim Whiteaway, Doug Vaugh and Johnny Doyle; and the countless, nameless people who have contributed to this site, and who regularly give up their free time to delve into the past, just to recall those who have gone before us.
We would especially like to thank the families who have come forward to share treasured memories of their fallen relatives, in particular the LeBas, Barron, Carter-Webb, Brewster and Wisdom families.

They may be gone, but they are not forgotten.

Michelle Burrowes
Creator of The HSD War Stories Project.

An Irish Airman Foresees His Death

Glorney, Royal Flying Corp. whose plane 
went down over Kent, on a return 
mission to France. 25th Oct. 1916 

I know that I shall meet my fate
Somewhere among the clouds above;
Those that I fight I do not hate,
Those that I guard I do not love;
My country is Kiltartan Cross,
My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.

William Butler Yeats
(High School Past Pupil)

* Second Lieutenant Charles Annesley Kinnear

Charles Annesley Kinnear, was born on 21st January, 1897 and attended The High School from 1910 to 1915.  He was killed in action the following year, on 16th October 1916.

Irish Life Magazine:  24 November 1916

Lieutenant Charles Annesley Kinnear, was the elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Kinnear, of Albany House, Ranelagh, and was only 19 years of age when killed in action. Having left the Dublin High School in October, 1915, he entered Trinity College, where he joined the Dublin University Officers’ Training Corps. In the following month he obtained a commission in the Royal Field Artillery, and, after a short training, was sent, in January of the present year, to the front in France, where he saw continuous service until the date of his death.

Taken from 'The Erasmian'. December 1916, p3.

Kinnear Form V, Nov 1912*

'In particular we note with great regret the death in action of 2nd Lieut. C. A. Kinnear, who acted as Honorary Treasurer to this Magazine for the year 1914-15. He joined the R.F.A.(Royal Field Artillery) towards the end of October, 1915, and was sent out to France in the beginning of this year, to the front in France, where he saw continuous service until the date of his death.

'Those waves, in many a fight, have closed above her faithful dead;
That red-cross flag victoriously bath floated o'er their bed;
They perished—this green turf to keep by hostile tread unstained—
These knightly halls inviolate—those churches unprofaned.'

*Photo: Courtesy the Board of Governors of the Schools founded by Erasmus Smith Esq