Credits
My thanks to Gerry Chester for generously sharing his wealth of First World War North Irish Horse material. This site is intended as a complement to his own www.northirishhorse.net, which covers a much broader timespan, particularly his own experiences in WWII. Gerry also made available an image of Private Cordwell's temporary burial site, Private Finlay, Lieut-Col. R.A. West, and the North Irish Horse Regimental scouts.
Thanks are also due to Hugh Vaugh, for his helpful advice, and for photographing all of the North Irish Horse diaries held in the National Archives in Kew. The Unit diary transcriptions provided on this site would not have been possible without his assistance.
Doug Vaugh's South Irish Horse website has also been a valuable guide.
Robert Thompson's Heroes series of books were a source of valuable information about a number of North Irish Horsemen, including images of Lieutenant Greer, 2nd Lieutenant MacLean and Privates Riddell, Biggart, Blair, Wright and Thomson.
I thank the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland for agreeing that I reproduce the following images from their collection: D/1422/B/10/2-7, D/1482/1-6, D/1482/9-10, D/1482/12, D/1977/1-2, D/1977/16.
Niall Mac Fhionnghaile's Donegal, Ireland and the First World War, 1987, includes some useful photographs of and interviews with North Irish Horsemen from Donegal.
The following people and organisations kindly provided the images and information listed against their names. My sincere thanks for their generosity:
David Dodds - a wonderful collection of images of North Irish Horseman George Dodds and those with whom he served.
Steve Rogers, Project Co-ordinator of the The War Graves Photographic Project www.twgpp.org - images of the Belfast City Cemetery, Hautmont Communal Cemetery, Epsom Cemetery, Gloucester Old Cemetery, Drumcor Catholic Churchyard, Deir-el-Belah War Cemetery, Rawalpindi War Cemetery, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Cambrai Memorial, Grand Seraucourt British Cemetery, Perreuse Chateau Franco British National Cemetery, Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Longuenesse (St. Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, Sanderstead (All Saints) Churchyard, Breandrum Cemetery, Loos Memorial, Noyon New British Cemetery, Wimereux Communal Cemetery, Toutencourt Communal Cemetery, Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial, Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial, and the graves or memorials of Captains McCausland and Vesey, Lieutenants Combe, Russell, McNeill, Hesketh and Greer, 2nd Lieutenants McCullough, Linden, Farley, Savage, Nixon, Reavie, Wise and MacLean, Corporals Adams, Houston and Buchanan, Lance Corporals Irvine, Hanna, Deery, T. Stevenson, J. Johnston and W.J. Reid, Riflemen Connell, Robinson, Hale, A. Johnston, Knox, C.A. Morrison, E.A. Stevenson, O'Hara and Henderson, Driver Callanan, and Privates Elder, Montgomery, Cully, J. Scott, McCready, Martin, J. Johnston, Abercrombie, McDaniel, Morrow, Armstrong, Durneen, Moore, H. Scott, Beattie, Moore, Gillespie, Montgomery, Boyle, Waller, Kearney, Donnelly, Hillocks, Tate, G. Johnston, Cordwell, Devine, Harper, W. McCormick, Talbot, Best, Coulter, Hull, Harpur, G. Morrison, J. Nicholl, Stronge and Smyth.
Pierre Vandervelden - images of Avesnes-sur-Helpe Communal Cemetery, Awoingt British Cemetery, Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Caudry British Cemetery, Dadizeele New British Cemetery, Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No.1, Dourlers Communal Cemetery Extension, Forest Communal Cemetery, Harlebeke New British Cemetery, Hautmont Communal Cemetery, Hinges Military Cemetery, Le Capelle-en-Thierache Communal Cemetery, Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Queens Cemetery, Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery, Varennes Military Cemetery, Villers Station Cemetery, Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Warcoing Churchyard, Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, and the gravestone of Private Murray. See his website at www.inmemories.com.
Richard Evans - images of Ancre British Cemetery, Arneke British Cemetery, Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No.1, Etaples Military Cemetery, Fienvillers British Cemetery, Fins New British Cemetery, Flatiron Copse Cemetery, Ham British Cemetery, Mory Abbey Military Cemetery, Ovillers Military Cemetery, Queens Cemetery, Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Harlebeke New British Cemetery, St Aubert British Cemetery, Gwalia Cemetery, Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery, Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery and Varennes Military Cemetery; the graves of 2nd Lieutenants Denny and Anderson, Sergeant W.G.W. Irwin, Lance Corporals Bradley, Leckey and McSparron, Troopers McArow and Huggins, Privates Robinson, Richmond, Wallace, McVeigh, Shannon, F.J. Morrison, W. Irwin, J. Kelly, Blair, Gill, A.G. Kelly, Ross, Stuart, Thomson, Woodside, Livingstone, Magill, McClelland, Murray, and Bryson, Riflemen Gibson, Nixon, Baxter and Hall; and the memorials for 2nd Lieutenants Lyons and Moore, Lance Corporal Govan, Riflemen Barr and Johnston, and Private Watt. Some of these are from his website Nelson, Glamorgan and the Great War http://www.nelson-ww1-memorial.org.uk; others he was kind enough to take for me on recent trips to France and Belgium.
Pieter van Elteren - images of Croisilles British Cemetery, Roye New British Cemetery, Senlis Communal Cemetery Extension, Loos Memorial and Dud Corner Cemetery, Ham British Cemetery, Hautmont Communal Cemetery, Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, Hinges Military Cemetery, Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery, Villers Station Cemetery, Puchevillers British Cemetery, and Toutencourt Communal Cemetery, from his website traces of a war http://www.peterswar.net
Mick McCann - images of Noyon New British Cemetery and the graves of Major Waring, Lieutenant Shields, 2nd Lieutenant Meredith, Corporals McCormick, Ritchie, Roe and Leinster, Sapper Nesbitt and Privates Brennan, J.A Bell, Tate, Johnston and J. Evans, through his British War Graves website www.britishwargraves.co.uk.
Bracken Anderson - his images of a mounted North Irish Horseman, a pre-war North Irish Horse Lieutenant, Lieutenant T.F. Cooke, Major E.C Herdman, a North Irish Horse cyclist and a Horseman in tropical uniform.
Mrs Dorothy Harcourt - pictures of some of her family, the Dundee brothers, who served with the North Irish Horse in the First World War.
Len Kinley - three pictures from his fascinating Down Memory Lane website http://www.downmemorylane.me.uk.
Pat Gore - a picture of his uncle, Private James Wilson.
Alan Curragh - information on the life of Captain Despard, from his website Inst in the Great War: The Fallen of RBAI http://www.instgreatwar.com
Olive Nelson - a number of photographs and letters from her Grandfather, Sergeant William (Willie) Lockhart of the North Irish Horse and Royal Irish Fusiliers.
John Adams - a letter home from Sergeant William Lockhart, a prisoner of war, from his website Letters from the Front: My Grandfather’s Letters 1915-1918 http://www.johnadams.org.uk/letters.
Jerry Murland - recollections of George Dixon of C Squadron, Northamptonshire Yeomanry, and a picture of Captain Murland.
Simon Godly - images of Vis-en-Artois Memorial and Cemetery, Croisilles British Cemetery, Avesnes-le-Comte Communal Cemetery Extension, St Riquier British Cemetery, Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Puchevillers British Cemetery, Villers Station Cemetery and the graves of Captains Sinton and Norman, Sergeant Wylie, and Privates McVea, Roberts, Arthur, Darragh and Kearney, via his First World War website at http://www.webmatters.net.
Patrick John Quinn - image of Terlincthun British Cemetery.
Kieran Campbell - images of Ballybay First Presbyterian Church, St Patrick's Church Drumcor, and the graves of Privates Mills, Sheridan and Shiels.
Brian Shaw - images of Annahilt Presbyterian Churchyard, Derriaghy Christ Church Churchyard and Private Evans' gravesite.
Mark Thompson - image of Poperinghe New Military Cemetery.
Elizabeth Santillana Luna - image of the stained glass window in Belfast City Hall.
Kevin McFarlane - image of Bethune Town Cemetery.
Alan Sawyer - image of Grand Seraucourt British Cemetery.
Peter Mattock - image of Vis-en-Artois Memorial and Cemetery.
Andy Bailey - image of Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension.
David Spender - images of Netley Military Cemetery.
Raymond Okonski - an image of Drumcree Church of Ireland.
Mary ('Calypso Orchid') via Flickr www.flickr.com/photos/msanseve - image of Haringhe Bandaghem Military Cemetery.
Ben Hatherell - images of Grevillers British Cemetery.
The Reverend David Humphries - images of Shawbury (St Mary's) Churchyard, and the grave of Captain Saunderson.
Faisal Jamil - images of Rawalpindi War Cemetery.
Jo Michell - images of Beirut War Cemetery.
Wolfgang Paland - images of Niederzwehren Cemetery, and the grave of Lieutenant Dennistoun.
Helen Romberg - image of Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery.
Jean-Michel Dominique - image of Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery.
Fouad Otaki - image of Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery.
James McCauley - image of his uncle William Holmes.
David Stevenson - extracts from the book The Story of a Banner: Waringstown during World War 1, by Leslie Elliott and David Stevenson.
Alec Weir - image of St Riquier British Cemetery.
Mark Ramsey - image related to Lance Corporal Leckey.
Robert Lindsay - images of Belfast (Dundonald) Cemetery.
John McCullagh - image of Newry's Roll of Honour, from his Newry Journal website www.newryjournal.co.uk.
Dianne Prior - image of Private William Lipsett.
David Meikle - images of Hamilton (Bent) Cemetery.
Phil Watson - images of the graves of Lieutenant Kellock and 2nd Lieutenant Knox.
Peter Woodger - images of the burial returns of Privates Ross and McClelland, and the graves and burial returns of Private Bryson and an unknown North Irish Horseman.
Des Blackadder - images of James Magill, John Montford, Robert Kinnear, William Blakes, Frederick Skillen and William Stevenson, from his website Ballymena 1914-1918: Carved in stone...but not forgotten.
Tanneguy Desplanques - images of Vignemont French National Cemetery.
Martin Harvey - image of the grave of Private Wright.
Avalon Eastman - image of the grave of Private Galbraith.
ponte fractus - images of the graves of Lance Sergeant Henry and Privates Adair and Murphy.
John Hare - images of Awoingt British Cemetery, and the graves of Privates Brennan and Evans.
Peter Bennett - image of the grave of Lance Corporal Hill.
Paul Magill - images of Private Charles Magill and his family.
Sam Trotter - image of Private Sampson Trotter and associated documents.
Paul Ormerod - images of Hamburg Cemetery and the grave of Private Kerr.
Jim Crabtree - two pre-war North Irish Horse group photographs, including his grandfather Houston Graham.
John Pinkerton - images of the medal and cap badge group of Private George Stewart.
Frank McLernon - six excellent images of North Irish Horsemen.
Mrs Melva White - image of Private David Hunter Bond.
Anne Magarey - images of her father, Lieutenant Bryant Charles Hamilton.
Joan Collings - images of her father, 2nd Lieutenant Raymond Green.
James Buchanan - some wonderful images of his father, 2nd Lieutenant William Buchanan.
James M Rankin - an image of No.2 Troop at Antrim.
Colleen Kent - two images of Private John Nesbitt Kerr.
Kev Sturdy - an image of Private Thomas Ross and Lance Corporal William McCalmont.
Karen Clark - an image of Private William Andrew Bamford.
Mrs Sarah Angel of Kilcock, Co Kildare, via Barrie H Bertram - an image of Captain R.A.B. Henry.
James Witchell - images of his Grandfather, 2nd Lieutenant Robert Noel Anderson.
Nigel Henderson - press clippings from the Belfast Evening Telegraph of Major Massereene & Ferrard (two), Captains J.E. Pittaway and C.B. Despard, Lieutenant and Quartermaster F.W.J. Scammell, Lieutenants A.F. Ingram and R.A.B. Henry, 2nd Lieutenants J.T. Smith, J.B. Young, E.M. Meredith and T.J. Savage, RSM W.A. Sewell, Warrant Officer William Loughran, Farrier Sergeant A. Kennedy, Sergeants W. Brown MM, J. Foster and T. Jamison MM, Lance Sergeant G.A Henry MM, Corporals J.S. Bailey MM, J. Cunning, W. Scott, Albert Brunsdon, James Leyburn and John Leyburn, T. Foster, F. Lindsay, E. Deane, R. Storey and John Wright, Lance Corporals H. Irvine, D. Connolly, S.L. Turner, W.J. Hutchinson and W.A. Kelly, Signaller A. McKenzie and Privates Charles Woodside, Henry Simms, Thomas Foreman, G.M. Shannon, James Smiton, Robert Thomson, David Law, Clarence Wilson, Thomas Angus, Joseph Gibson, Nathaniel Harvey, R.T. Birnie, A. McLellan, R. Jamison, A. Morrison, S.H. Moir, J. Close, C. Arnold, R. Watson, J. Nesbitt, R.W. Nesbitt, W.J. Matchett, A. and C. Dundee, W. Watt, G. McFadden, F.J. Colquhoun, W.J. Petty, C. Bell, J. McArow, G. Harris, J. Adair, S. Reid, J. Majury, E. Berwitz, S. Cosgrove, C. Brewer, James Rainey, W.T. Elliott, L. Downes, Jack Mitchell, J. Lenaghan, Alfred Kerr, George Gill, George McLorn, J. Sleator, J.A. Laughlin, R. Ross, Charles Elder and C.D. Turner, and group photos 'Chums at the front', 'Inniskilling Dragoons', 'On guard in France', 'E Squadron in France', 'Corry and Wilton in Egypt' and 'Four Belfast chums', and a photograph of the Belfast City Hall WWI memorial window. See Fitzroy Presbyterian Church: Wartime Service and Sacrifice.
Mike Garnett - images of his uncle Private Albert Garnett.
Adele Cosgrove - images of her Grandfather Private Samuel Black, and a picture of the Inniskilling Dragoons from 1922.
Ian McCallum - image of Private William McStay.
David Hawthorne from Lisburn, Northern Ireland - four pictures of his Grandfather Private James McKee, and the burial place of Private A.G. Kelly.
Jon Marshall - images of the medals and badges of Private William Lipsett.
Bill Thomas - an image of his grandfather Lieutenant John Hutton Grigg.
Friends of the Somme, Mid Ulster Branch - images of Lance Sergeant George Adams Henry, and Privates Alexander Martin, Matthew Hagan and Thomas Alexander McReynolds. See www.cookstownwardead.co.uk.
North Irish Horse Regimental Association - images of Privates Matthew Jackson and Maurice Wheelhouse. See www.northirishhorse.com.
Descendants of Richard Toomath - image of Private Davis Toomath. See http://toomath.ca
Dennis Coltart - an image of Private William Coltart.
University of Edinburgh - an image of Lieutenant Wise.
Allan Scanlon - an image of his grand-uncle Lance Corporal Frederick Scanlon.
Peter Brown - images related to Lieutenant J.K.M Greer.
David Ronaldson - images of his father Lance Corporal Victor Ronaldson.
Shaun Matthews - images of his grandfather EG Matthews, and the officers and NCOs of the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons (Service Squadron).
Gavin Bamford - images of Lieutenants Charles Vesey Purdon, T.J.E. Forde, Herbert John Blythe, 2nd Lieutenants Walter Gamble Hamilton, Archibald McSparron, Sergeant Thomas Pyper, Corporal William Percival Cowan, Lance Corporals John Thomas Lockhart, James Alexander and Herbert Eakin, and Privates Cyril William Taylor, Joseph Aloysius McSweeney, William Harris Boyd, Albert Brice Galway, John Andrew McNutt, William Millikin, John Alexander Ross and Robert Bagshaw. See his site honouring the officials of the Northern Bank and Belfast Bank who served during the two World Wars and in more recent conflicts. northernbankwarmemorials.blogspot.com.au
Caroline Bone, Alumni & Information Officer at Monkton Combe School, Bath - image of Leslie Ion Stuart.
Sean O'Connor and Mrs Elizabeth Hardinge - image of Leslie Ion Stuart.
Penny Otto and Jill McLaren - an image of the Kellock and Grigg brothers.
Peter Wise and Lancelot E.D. Wise - an image of the burial site of Lieutenant Lancelot Wise.
Tessa Grigg - image of Lieutenant Gilbert Grigg.