Died in Limburg before the end of the war. A photograph of Michael Bowden and John Byrne (his brother in law) taken while they were prisoners in Limburg was printed in the Saturday Herald of 10 June 1916. Michael Bowden, an Athy postman who had also enlisted in Carlow, left behind his wife and child when he went to the war front. Another child was born a few months after he departed for France and he spent almost four years in Limburg Prisoner of War Camp before dying on 27 May 1918.

One of the sadder stories of the war concerned the fate of three Athy men who joined the Dublin Fusiliers in August 1914. They took part in the Battle of Mons, which opened on Sunday 23 August 1914 when the Dublin Fusiliers were part of a larger contingent of British army personnel positioned between the Belgium towns of Mons and Conde. The Germans attacked and surrounded the Fusiliers, capturing many of them before the British began to retreat.

Among those captured in that first month of the war were Athy men Michael Bowden, Martin Maher and Michael Byrne. All three were to die while prisoners of war.

Died in Limburg before the end of the war. John Byrne, from Athy, who had been a gardener employed by local vet John Holland of Model Farm, died in Limburg just weeks before the end of the war. The war records show that Byrne passed away on 27 September 1918 and like his other comrades from the Royal Dublin Fusiliers he is buried in Niederzwehren Cemetery in Germany. died 27/09/1918 Medal Card. His sister's husband, Private Michael Bowden of the 2nd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers, died in Limburg

Entitled 14 Star trio with the Clasp. Qualified 23.08.1914. RDF Clasps individuals role 10.03.1920. POW. War Office Letter No.121; Home address: Newton Cottages. Crettyard. Carlow. MIC shows address Haidar Pasha.

Born Co. Kildare, Prisoner of War 27 Aug 1914. First at Senelager (transferred to Limburg). Reported wounded (in Brompton Hospital), January 1, 1916. His Medal Card gives him as "discharged".

Jack Doyle (known as Skurt Doyle) was captured during the Battle of Mons and spent the remaining years of the war as a prisoner in the Limburg P.O.W. camp. It was in Limburg that Skurt met Fr.. J.T. Crotty, the Dominican priest who had previously served in the Athy Priory, who was then one of the chaplains to the 3,000 or so Irishmen imprisoned in Limburg. On his release from the German P.O.W. camp Skurt returned to his regiment and before his discharge from the Army he played both soccer and rugby for the British Army in what is generally regarded as international games. As an Army soccer player he played with well known English soccer players such as Steve Bloomer of Derby County and Dickie Bond of Bradford City. In rugby he lined out for the National Army team against the English Navy team and also against the Belgium Army team. His skill at games was quite extraordinary and on one occasion in a cricket match against the Gravesend town team he made a century for which feat he was presented with a gold medal. Skurt Doyle,, on being demobbed in 1919, returned to Athy Not sure which Medal card

Taken POW 27th of August 1914. He was released on the 26th of December 1918, he served 15 years in the army having enlisted aged 18 on the 28th of December 1903. He was at that time 5 Foot 4, and weighed 114llbs had Grey Eyes and Brown Hair. Landed in France with the 2nd Battalion 23rd of August 1914 and taken POW 27th of August 1914 (see the book Dishonoured for more details on the action in which he was taken POW) He married Bridget Dowling at St James Church in Dublin on the 7th of January 1913, they had at least 3 sons, Patrick, Laurence and Michael. Medal Card gives POW

Reported Prisoner of War, May 15, 1915. Wrote 26 April 1915 from Limburg Camp on behalf of 10 to 12 Nass men asking for cigarettes to be sent. No Medal Card. Kildare Observer received the following letter from Private Philip Halleron (9639), 11. Bat. 6 Camp. No. 729, Limburg (lahn). Germany bearing the post mark of 26th April:- "Sir, On behalf of a few Naas men of my regiment (the Royal Dublin Fusiliers) who are here as prisoners of war and who were readers of your paper before the war broke out, I ventured to write this card and to ask you if you could see your way to send us something now in our time of trouble. As it seems to be the custom of provincial journals to look after the prisoners of their particular town or county, I am sure you will not be far behind other papers in this matter. Should you see your way to fall in with this suggestion, the most suitable things to send are eatables, tobacco and cigarettes at present. Wishing your paper every success. The number here from Naas and district is about 10 or12 men. "

Limburg in WO161. "G" Coy. died age 31 on 09/05/1915 Son of Michael and Annie Kavanagh, late of Summerhill Bridge, Dublin. Medal card "died"

Before the war Christopher was a gardener, he was one of the first babies born in Holles Street Hospital. He joined the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, in 1913. His two brothers, Daniel and Peter were also in the army, Daniel becoming a Regimental Sergeant Major of the RDF. Taken prisoner at Le Cateau, he spent the rest of the war at Limburg POW (prisoner-of-war) camp. He survived Limburg and came back to Ireland in what was a difficult time for British soldiers. He gave evidence after he war on conditions at Neihof salt mine (Neuhof?) (Giessen). He left Dublin and went to Glasgow, got a job on the railways and died in 1972. Medal Card says POW

Died in Limburg Camp before the end of the war. Martin Maher, who had lived in Athy but had enlisted in Carlow, died on 5 March 1915 from wounds he had received in the Battle of Mons some months previously. Son of Martin and Ellen Maher, of Athy, Co. Kildare. Medal Card gives died POW

Took part in the Battle of Mons, which opened on Sunday 23 August 1914 when the Dublin Fusiliers were part of a larger contingent of British army personnel positioned between the Belgium towns of Mons and Conde. The Germans attacked and surrounded the Fusiliers, capturing many of them before the British began to retreat.

7895 Private Joseph

Kildare Observer Oct 1914 reports Mr. L.A. West, of Dublin, received on Monday two letters from his son Lieut. C.H., L'E. West, who was taken prisoner near Cambrai at the end of August. His son is safe and is being well treated. Neither of the letters gives any clue as to the place from which Lieutenant West writes. He say that he is a prisoner with about thirty officers of different Regiments. He was wounded below the left elbow and the bullet came of above the elbow, without touch the bone. Mr. West and his fellow prisoners get plenty to eat, and among them are three young officers with whom he was at school. He speaks highly of the kindness with which they are treated by the Germans.