During the Great War, a total of thirty-seven Irish servicemen were awarded the Victoria Cross. Of that number, five had connections to the city and county of Cork. These were: Corporal Michael O’Leary of the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards; Corporal William Cosgrove, 1st Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers; Captain Gerald O’Sullivan, 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers; Private Jeremiah Edwards, 12th Battalion, the Middlesex Regiment and Major Edward ‘Mick’ Mannock, 85 Squadron, Royal Air Force. This presentation, looks at the lives of these men and the acts of gallantry that earned them the Victoria Cross, which took place on the Western Front, in the skies above the Western Front and at Gallipoli.
A former member of the Irish Defence Forces, Gerry has published a number of books and articles on different aspects of Irish history for the period 1913-1923. He is also a founding member and chairman of the Cork Branch and the Island of Ireland Trustee of the Western Front Association.
This is a Zoom Meeting: unfortunately, recent water damage has left our venue temporarily unusable, so we have had to resort to Zoom once again. For details on how to join in contact londoneastwfa@gmail.com