Private Francis John Wallace

 

This man appears to be the Francis John Wallace born on 15 December 1891 in Paget Street, Enniskillen, one of at least five children of Mary Anne Wallace. At the time of the 1911 Census he was living in Gortgall, Ross, County Fermanagh, with his mother and four siblings, and working as a labourer.

Wallace enlisted in the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron between 20 and 23 November 1914 (No. UD/180). The squadron, which had been formed as divisional cavalry for the 36th (Ulster) Division, embarked for France on 6 October 1915. A party of about thirty men of the squadron, including Wallace, had embarked three days earlier, many if not all attached to 36th Division Headquarters. He later rejoined his squadron, though it is not known when this took place.

In June 1916 the Inniskilling squadron joined with C and F Squadrons of the North Irish Horse to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to X Corps until August-September 1917 when the regiment was disbanded and most of its men were transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, an infantry regiment. Wallace was one of 70 men given the job of conducting the regiment's horses to Egypt, to be handed over for use by mounted units there. They embarked from Marseilles on board HMT Bohemian on 25 August. After a month at Alexandria they returned to France, via Italy. On 5 October 1917 they arrived at the 36th (Ulster) Division Infantry Base Depot at Harfleur for infantry training, and after just a few days were posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – which had been renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt on 12 October. Wallace was issued regimental number 41615.

He probably saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917.

Nothing further has been discovered about Wallace's service with the 9th (NIH) Battalion in the latter part of 1917 and during 1918.

On 15 March 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.

 

This page last updated 20 April 2023.