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The Killing of the Iron Twelve
The Killing of the Iron Twelve by Hedley Malloch Written by Hedley Malloch, this meticulously researched account, grippingly and vividly recounts the events and fate of the soldiers on the run and the French civilians who helped them. The story is one of dramatic...
Torn Apart
Torn Apart, a novel by David Arrowsmith This novel, based on the Iron12 story, is available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle Edition. The central character, Charlie, depicts Fred Innocent, one of the soldiers executed as a spy by the Germans on February 25th,...
During the autumn of 2025, Hedley Malloch, Chairman of the Iron Memorial Fund, took Michael O’Riordan and his wife, Meghan, around sites associated with the Iron 12 tragedy. Michael’s mother was the niece of Private John Nash, 10084, 2nd Royal Munster Fusiliers, and one of the soldiers executed by the Germans on 25th February 1915. Michael and Meghan are both lawyers living and working in Detroit, Michigan. Michael’s mother, Bridget, emigrated to New York in 1945. Michael had grown up with the story and it was a very important part of his family’s history.
The first stop was to visit the execution site at Guise Château where respects were paid. Later they went to Guise Communal Cemetery to see where John and the ten soldiers were buried, along with the separate civilian grave of M. Vincent Chalandre, mill owner and a character central to this amazing story, featured on our website, iron12.org
To cement the link between Guise and Rossmore, Michael and Megan had brought a stone from John’s home on Rossmore Island. Upon it was engraved the following inscription:
“In memory of our much loved uncle, Private John Nash, 2nd Royal Munster Fusiliers, a stone from the house where he was born on Rossmore Island, County Kerry in 1894. With thanks to all the French people who helped him.”
Afterwards they visited the village of Iron and saw some of the sites associated with the tragedy, including the sites of the Logez mill and the Chalandre house. Iron churchyard was visited to pay respects at the graves of the ladies who supported the soldiers; namely Germaine Chalandre, and mother and daughter, Léonie and Jeanne Logez.
The visit concluded with a reception given by the Mayor of Iron in Iron Town Hall, during which Michael and Meghan presented M. Marc Willeman, Mayor of Iron, with a commemorative plaque thanking the Chalandre and the Logez families, and the village for the help it gave to John and his comrades.
The first stop was to visit the execution site at Guise Château where respects were paid. Later they went to Guise Communal Cemetery to see where John and the ten soldiers were buried, along with the separate civilian grave of M. Vincent Chalandre, mill owner and a character central to this amazing story, featured on our website, iron12.org
To cement the link between Guise and Rossmore, Michael and Megan had brought a stone from John’s home on Rossmore Island. Upon it was engraved the following inscription:
“In memory of our much loved uncle, Private John Nash, 2nd Royal Munster Fusiliers, a stone from the house where he was born on Rossmore Island, County Kerry in 1894. With thanks to all the French people who helped him.”
Afterwards they visited the village of Iron and saw some of the sites associated with the tragedy, including the sites of the Logez mill and the Chalandre house. Iron churchyard was visited to pay respects at the graves of the ladies who supported the soldiers; namely Germaine Chalandre, and mother and daughter, Léonie and Jeanne Logez.
The visit concluded with a reception given by the Mayor of Iron in Iron Town Hall, during which Michael and Meghan presented M. Marc Willeman, Mayor of Iron, with a commemorative plaque thanking the Chalandre and the Logez families, and the village for the help it gave to John and his comrades.
Last week we were back, possibly for the final time, visiting Etreux, Iron and Guise in the Aisne region of France. This was the scene of the BEF rearguard action right at the outset of WW1 and the local aftermath that ensued. We cleaned the monument dedicated to the Iron12, in the village of Iron, and checked out the war graves of the 11 soldiers. Click on the photo of the soldiers’ graves below and high on the horizon, you will see Guise Chateau where they were executed by the Germans. That view always brings lump in my throat. Nearby, also in view of the Chateau, is the newly refurbished gravestone of the mill owner who was executed along with the soldiers. Our website www.Iron12.org has the full story of the Iron12. Our job is done.
Following on from our last post, the plaque on M. Chaldre’s gravestone has been regilded and reinstated at a slight angle to aid rainwater runoff. His grave in Guise cemetery is just yards from the graves of the soldiers he so gallantly helped in Iron in 1915. His bravery cost him his life. This major restoration work will be one of our last tasks before custody of the monuments is transferred to local organisations. More on this shortly. If you don’t know, arguably the most intriguing story of WW1, I highly recommend reading it here https://iron12.org/the-story-part-1/
Following on from our last post, the plaque on M. Chaldre’s gravestone has been regilded and reinstated at a slight angle to aid rainwater runoff. His grave in Guise cemetery is just yards from the graves of the soldiers he so gallantly helped in Iron in 1915. His bravery cost him his life. This major restoration work will be one of our last tasks before custody of the monuments is transferred to local organisations. More on this shortly. If you don’t know, arguably the most intriguing story of WW1, I highly recommend reading it here https://iron12.org/the-story-part-1/