John McGeehan, pictured right, the co-ordinator of the Shot at Dawn Campaign, was speaking after it was announced that the Ministry of Defence is to seek pardons for 300 soldiers, including 26 Irishmen, who were executed by the British Army during the conflict.
Mr. McGeehan's cousin, Bernard McGeehan, was executed by his own side in Poperinghe in November 1916. He was originally born in Raphoe but later moved to Derry with his family where they lived in Moat Street.
John McGeehan also said that he now wanted to have his relative's name included in the Roll of Honour in St. Columb's Cathedral in Derry as well as on the war memorial in the Diamond. "I am delighted that these men will now be pardoned and that they are finally being recognised as competent soldiers. The next step for me personally will be to have his name included on the Roll of Honour in St. Columb's Cathedral. Bernard McGeehan's cousin, Neill, is included on that list and I think it is only right that Bernard is included too. They are buried about five kilometres apart in Poperinghe and it would be nice to see their names together too," he said.
Speaking about his cousin, Mr. McGeehan said; "Bernard was born in Raphoe in 1888 and moved to Moat Street in Derry where he worked in the Post Office. He joined the British Army in 1914 and went to France the following year. He was initially in a store yard but after the Somme there were 60,000 lost soldiers who needed to be replaced and the army took men from everywhere. "Bernard was sent to the front which would have been completely different to what he was used to. Lord Moran, who later became the physician to George VI, said that in those circumstances, any man would crack in a few weeks and that is exactly what happened to Bernard. He walked off for five days and then presented himself to another British unit asking for food and direction back to his regiment. That hardly sounds like the actions of a deserter."
Mr. McGeehan also said that he intends to visit his cousin's grave later this year. "I will be going over to the grave in Armistice week. I was there last year too but it will be special this year because of the pardon. I have always considered him to be the same as every other soldier who is buried there and indeed, that is how he is considered by the War Graves Commission, but it will be official this year," he said.
Mr. McGeehan added that he is confident that Bernard's name will be added to the local war memorials. "I will be contacting all of the relevant bodies until this is done. I have already been in contact with Derry City Council and they have said that it is a matter for the Royal British Legion and the Legion have said that they are happy for the name to be added. I have also been in contact with Dean Morton from St. Columb's Cathedral about the issue. I am sure that the good people of Derry will support my campaign to have my relative honoured in his home town," he said.
Former Fine Gael TD Paddy Harte also welcomed the announcement and said that he will ensure that Bernard's name is included in the Donegal Roll of Honour.
Mr. Harte, who has campaigned to have local men who died in the First World War commemorated, said that it was "long overdue." "This is great for the families of the men who were killed. I only became aware of Bernard McGeehan recently and I am pleased that this announcement has come. There were 1,100 Donegal men killed in the First World War but Bernard's name was not among them. I will now make sure that his name appears in the Donegal Roll of Honour," he said.