LIAM GAUL’S NEW BOOK ‘WINGS OVER WEXFORD’ IS LAUNCHED
HISTORIAN RECALLS US FLYING BOATS AT WEXFORD HARBOUR
HISTORIAN Liam Gaul has just published his sixth book which delves into a long-forgotten era in Wexford’s past.
‘Wings over Wexford’ answers many questions about the role played by the United States Navy when it stationed Curtiss flying boats in Wexford Harbour to combat the scourge of German U-Boats operating off out shores.
Liam sets the scene of a century ago and the arrival of the American Naval Aviators at the newly-established USN Air Base at Ferrybank, and which was operational during the final months of the Great War, with great success.
The German U-Boat’s were causing havoc in the English Channel and in an effort to counteract those losses to shipping the British Admiralty requested the United States to establish Naval Air Stations in Ireland and Britain.
The United States naval operations were carried out by seven naval air stations with five located in Ireland and two in England during WWI.
The five Irish stations were at Aghada, (Queenstown) on the eastern side of Cork Harbour, Lough Foyle, Whiddy Island and at Ferrybank, Wexford, all of which were seaplane stations. The fifth station was a kite balloon station at Berehaven in West Cork. The largest base was at Aghada and served as the headquarters for Ireland.
The base at Ferrybank was built by British, Irish and US naval forces and civilians. On February 25, 1918 a group of eight men under Radio Officer Charles A. Rogers arrived in Wexford from the US Forces and took over the building of the US Naval Air Station.
By July 1, 232 men and 13 officers had been drafted from Aghada to Ferrybank and by August there were 15 officers and 298 men. The final total of 20 officers and 406 men were on the station by the end of October.
The station at Wexford was very active and carried out many missions in search of the submarines which operated with such devastating effet in and around Tuskar Rocke Lighthouse and up and down the English and Irish shorelines.
The presence of the American aviators was reassuring for ship owners on the coast who had been concerned about the safety of their vessels, their cargoes and especially the crews of the ships.
In his book, Liam says he will endeavour to record for poserity this long-forgotten era in Wexford’s past and answer questions about the Americans who came to Wexford to set up and operate the air base - when there were wings over Wexford.
It is a book well told and must for anyone who wants to learn more about a war which came so close to our shores and with such tragic consequences.
‘Wings Over Wexford’ is available at the Book Centre for €16.99