France November 2007


The Irish Shot at Dawn Campaign to secure pardons for Irish born British soldiers executed for military offences 1914 -18
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French Honor Irish Born WW1 Soldier Shot at Dawn - 11^th November 2007

Following the invitation of the Mayor of Mazingarbe, a meeting took place on Monday 26^th February 2007 in Mazingarbe, France, between Mr Peter Mulvany, Chairperson of the Irish Seamen's Relatives Association (1939-46) and Co-ordinator of the Shot at Dawn Campaign Irl, the Mayor and his officials, including a representative of the veterans of France, regarding our suggestion that the town of Mazingarbe might consider erecting a commemorative plaque in memory of Private JAMES GRAHAM: 9948 2^nd Bn., Royal Munster Fusiliers, son of Mrs. Jane Graham, 16 Lavitts Lane, Old Market Place, Cork, aged 21, who was executed in the former Municipal Abbatoir, Mazingarbe on Tuesday 21^st December 1915. James is one of our 26 Irish Shot at Dawn. Following discussions and agreement with our French friends we are pleased to indicate the following:

A large commemorative plaque was unveiled on Sunday 11^th November 2007, Armistice Day, in the location of Private Graham's execution in Mazingarbe, France, circa 11.00hrs. Remembering Private Graham in this manner honors all 26 Irish Shot at Dawn in a very special French Irish way and should also be seen as honoring all those Shot at Dawn for military offences during WW1 and who have now been conditionally pardoned as a consequence of the introduction in the British Parliament on Wednesday 8^th November 2006 of the PARDONS FOR SERVICEMEN EXECUTED FOR DISCIPLINARY OFFENCES: RECOGNITION AS VICTIMS OF FIRST WORLD WAR. This unique Shot at Dawn commemorative plaque dedicated to Private Graham is the only world war one memorial site where a Shot at Dawn soldier is publicly named with his execution location and date of execution specified and importantly states the date on which he was pardoned. Effectively, Mazingarbe, the location of eleven world war one executions, has now become a distinct historic and unique Shot at Dawn memorial site for those engaged on their journey of remembrance to world war one battlefields. As the relatives of Private Graham cannot be located at this time, the Mayor of Mazingarbe, will, for the forseeable future, represent the family of Private Graham at the annual Armistice Day remembrance ceremonies held in Mazingarbe, France. We are deeply indebted to the Mayor, his officials, the veterans of France and to the people of Mazingarbe for their kindness and generous support in this endeavour. Vive Le France..




Former Municipal Abbatoir Mazingarbe - WW1 Execution Site.	Grave - Private Graham - Mazingarbe Communal Cemetery.


Irish Shot at Dawn Memorial Plaque - Mazingarbe - France - 11th November 2007.	Irish Shot at Dawn Memorial Cross - Constructed by Dublin Busmen and placed in Englebelmer Communal Cemetery - France on Saturday 24th February 2007.

Postcript

Following the publication of a story extracted from the book Forgotten Soldiers by Stephen Walker, in the December 2007 edition of the Cork magazine, the Holly Bough published by the Cork Evening Echo, regarding the execution of Private James Graham, one of our 26 Irish born British soldiers, Shot at Dawn. A person claiming to be a relative of Private Graham made contact. Subsequently an interview took place in Cork City with this claimant. Documentary evidence confirms that he is the grandnephew of Private James Graham. Interestingly, Ones Maternal Great Grandparents come from North Cork and we are descended from the same branch of this Cork family. Is it possible that a relationship exists between both families? As there is no documentary evidence existing to substantiate such a relationship, that scenario remains in the area of pure speculation.

Please Note: Founded on the 27^th June 2002 The Shot at Dawn Campaign Irl co-ordinated by the Irish Seamen's Relatives Association (1939-46) is an independent Irish based group who successfully campaigned to persuade the British Government to grant pardons to 26 Irish born British soldiers in particular and 275 other ranks in the British Army who were executed during world war one for various military offences which ceased in 1929 to be punishable by death:

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