Pte. Andrew Walsh
British Army 6th Battalion Royal East Kent Regiment
from:17, Downpatrick Road, Drimnagh Crumlin, Dublin
(d.3rd July 1944)
In June 1941 Andrew Walsh was a 17 year old boy living in Dublin,Ireland was neutral in the 2nd World War. All the young men of his street in Dublin (Downpatrick Rd) chose to travel to Belfast together to enlist with the British Army that month. Andrew being under age to enlist stole his brother's (Stephen Walsh) birth certificate showing himself to be 21yrs. Not one of these boys, including Andrew came home.
He was enlisted and posted initially to the 11th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment for just 2 months and 13 days before transferring to the 6th Battalion, Royal East Kent Regiment on 5th of September 1941. Both these south coast regimental battalions were training battalions and took no active part in combat.
Andrew remained with The Buffs for just 6 months and 21 days before being transferred to the Royal Ulster Rifles an infantry regiment of the British Army. Andrew took part in training exercises at Combined Operations Inverary, Stobs Camp near Hawick in the Scottish Lowlands and Black Isle Highlands before heading to Droxford, Hampshire from which he took part in his first action on D-Day 6th June 1944. He landed on Sword beach area "Red" at Lions sur Mer just west of their objective Caan. He moved inland taking several villages before being halted by heavy and experienced Panzergrenadiers at the walled aqnd wooded village of Cambes-en-Plein about 8 miles inland from the coast. Andrew was seriously wounded by shellfire there and was evacuated to a field hospital near Douvres. He died of his wounds in France 3rd July 1944.
His grave sits in the Commonwealth War Cemetery of Douvres La deliverande. All his military records and even his headstone bears the name of his brother, Stephen, whose birth certificate he stole to enlist. A very, very detailed record of this man's story and service, especially in respect of the Royal Ulster Rifles, has been researched and compiled by me. Anybody wishing to view copy may get in touch.
