"The Irish who fell at Fontenoy are commemorated by a fine High Cross which was erected in 1907. For the other Wild Geese, there are, sadly, few memorials. Indeed, their burial places are unknown, except in relatively few instances." So writes Eoghan O Eanorachain in The Irish Sword, number 81 - The Journal of the Military History Society of Ireland. All the more remarkable then, to come across an imposing tombstone to "Sir Patrick Fleming, An Irish Sword for Hire" in a village called Thierfeld, near the German-Czech border.
The monument is over four metres tall, setting out his career (in German) as follows: "To the noble lord, Sir Patricius von Flemming, an Irish baron and brave war-officer, who, after 15 field campaigns, seven sieges, and 13 hot actions as a Royal Polish and Electoral Saxon captain, on September 7th, 1735, in his 63rd year came to his final rest here, and with this monument was honoured by Pastor Christian August Schutzen, Inspector to the Count Schonberg of Hartenstein and Court Preacher."
On another side there is a lengthy account of his life. "I was born in Ireland, but not destined for Ireland: other lands saw and wanted me. England as an ensign, three years to my misfortune; France as a Guards de Corps, four years; Lorraine in the light cavalry, seven years; Holland as a lieutenant of dragoons, six years; Poland and Kur-Saxony as a captain of dragoons, 20 years. I helped to assail fortresses - Londonderry, Limerick, Douay, Bethune, Aire, Bouchain and Strahlsund are seven witnesses. I was in the midst of the sharpest battles at Boin, Agrim, Senni, Langstein . . . But when illness assailed me and my appointment with death came, everything was lost but the soul which Heaven took into its care. Observe here, traveller, that mortals cannot know where, when and how they are to die. The man whom Ireland, England, France and the Netherlands knew as a brave hero is buried here with his shield and helmet. Do you know where your body will find rest?"
When the grave was excavated at the end of the 19th century, they found the skeleton of a pastor's wife, buried some decades earlier, and larger and stronger bones, believed to be Fleming's. "As to the sword and shield, this was a literary formula which indicated that the knight had died without an heir." The writer notes that the spelling of Boin and Aghrim are closer to the original Irish pronunciations than the modern versions.