212885 Pte. John Meeke British Army Irish Brigade from:Derrykeighan At the Battle of Messines in June 1917, John Meeke was a stretcher bearer with the Irish Brigade was on the left of the Ulster Division. During the attack the intensity of the British shelling meant that it was impossible to see more than a few yards. In the confusion, Private Meeke saw that Major Willie Redmond of the Irish Brigade was wounded. Willie Redmond was a politician with strong Irish Republican views, Meeke was a member of the original Ulster Volunteer Force, at home in Ireland this would probably have left them less than friends. However, on the battlefield loyalties were different. Using the shell craters as shelter, John Meeke ran across the battlefield towards the injured officer. As he treated Major Redmond, Private Meeke was also wounded by shrapnel, but he carried on, making sure the Major was taken back to the dressing station. Disobeying orders, Meeke then continued tending to the other wounded until he was forced to stop and go to the dressing station himself. Major Redmond died of his wounds, but John Meeke survived the war, although he died quite young in December 1923, aged 28.
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