Brian shares father’s war story with Prince
EMOTIONAL DAYS FOR BETTYSTOWN MAN AS PRINCE WILLIAM LISTENS TO HIS STORY
BACK on 7th June 1917, Patrick Alphonsus (Alphie) Hanratty, a 21 year old Platoon Commander in the 10th Royal Irish Rifles (36th Ulster Division) from Collon led his forty men to victory at the famous Battle of the Messines Ridge in Belgium, and described his experience in a detailed letter he wrote to his mother a week afterwards.
One hundred years later, his son Brian and grandson Kilian – as guests of the Flemish Government - joined hundreds at the Island of Ireland Peace Park at Messines to commemorate the battle.
In what Brian has described as “a hugely memorable and deeply moving experience,” their visit included joining the annual “Redmondweg” – a 10km walk that commemorates Major Willie Redmond.
Later that day, they joined dignatories that included Prince William and Belgium’s Princess Astrid and hundreds of guests at the Messines Peace Park for a joint British/Irish commemoration that involved wreath laying at the foot of the Round Tower there, before travelling to the nearby village of Wytschaete where wreaths were also laid at the memorial cross to the 16th Irish Division.
At Messines, Brian was introduced to Prince William and showed him the actual map used by his father at Messines on the day of the battle. He also showed him a field postcard which his father had sent his sister on the occasion of his 21st birthday the previous year.
“It was a proud moment to see a member of the British Royal Family pay their respects to all the young Irish soldiers who had fought at Messines, and especially those who never returned home,” said Brian. He added “Prince William was very relaxed and friendly, and as the photographs indicate, was very taken with the map and postcard which I showed him.”
Later that day, Minister Charlie Flanagan opened an exhibition “Irish Blood in Flanders Mud” at the church in nearby Kemmel. That evening at the Menin Gate, colour parties from both the Irish and British Armies participated in the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ieper, and the following evening Brian and the grand-daughter of Samuel Frickleton V.C. from New Zealand led the wreath laying service there.
“Again, it was wonderful to see representatives of both armies stand side by side on an equal and mutually respectful footing. I thought of Robert Emmet’s words ‘When my country takes her place among the nations of the earth…’ and felt a lump in my throat as this event yet again underlined how far this small but great country has “travelled” since World War 1,” said Brian.
Later in the week, Brian, along with his son Kilian and his colleague Will Smith (who are filming a documentary about the role of the Irish at Messines) undertook a battlefield walk with local historian, Philippe Mingels and visited a farmer to see the dangerous ordnance that continues to be “harvested” in Flanders. They also visited the site of the Battle of Waterloo before returning home.
“For too long in Ireland, we were in denial regarding the huge sacrifice made by young Irishmen from every town, village and crossroads in World War 1. But Belgium has never forgotten them, and this year towns, villages and museums in Flanders have special exhibitions and events to commemorate those who fell, including the many Irish. For anyone with an interest in WW1, especially those who had relatives who fought in Belgium, this year offers them exceptional opportunities to explore and learn about that aspect of their family history,” concluded Brian.