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Tribute book inspired by band of brothers
 By
Trevor O ’sullivan
An eyewitness account of coming of age in a large Irish family before
and during the Second World War has been published to celebrate the contribution
the London Irish have made to Britain’s capital.
The book entitled All My Brothers: A London Irish Family At War details
the story of Edmund O’Sullivan and his family — descendants
of Irish migrants to London at the time of the Great Famine.
Author Edmund O’Sullivan believes his family’s story mirrors
many of the Irish who came in search of better times.
He said: “It is an account of the Irish people of London whose work
and dreams over many generations have made London the vibrant city it
is today.
“Theirs is an unrecorded history which is remembered mainly in the
stories still heard and repeated by hundreds of thousands of Londoners
and their families.
“Overcoming racial and religious discrimination, they raised their
families, nurtured lively communities and fought for their country.”
Edmund O’Sullivan was born in Peckham, south London.
After training at St. Mary’s Teachers’ Training College in
Twickenham, he was a teacher at St. Anthony’s RC Primary School,
Farnham Royal from 1969 to 1984.
He now lives in Slough and has six children, nine grandchildren and three
great-grandchildren.
The writer’s book tells of the extraordinary service of the O’Sullivan
family during the war.
Three of Edmund’s four brothers served in three different theatres
— two in the RAF and one the Royal Navy.
His fourth and youngest brother was being prepared for convoy service
in the merchant navy when the war ended.
O’Sullivan’s father also played a role in keeping the railways
of south-east London functioning before, during and after D-Day.
The book commences with O’Sullivan and his close war-time friend
Sergeant Eddie Mayo, a London Irishman from Dagenham, in a front-line
trench at the climax of the Battle of Monte Cassino in May 1944.
He and Mayo were conscripts into the 2nd Battalion of the London Irish
Rifles, one of three battalions that made-up the British Army’s
Irish Brigade in the Second World War.
Describing the book as a tribute to the Irish Mr O’Sullivan said:
“At their best, the Irish of London have rarely been bettered.
“No group of immigrants has done more for London than they.
“None more properly deserves a proper memorial.
“This is a small repayment in words permanently inscribed of the
debt London and every Londoner owes them all.”
n For further information write to Richard O’Sullivan at 84 Bexley
Street, Windsor, Berkshire, telephone 01753 852632, or e-mail: osullivan.richardos
@gmail.com |
