Private George Brereton
The background of this North Irish Horseman is not certain, other than that soon after the war he lived at 19 Parkview Street, Belfast. It is possible that he was the George Thomas Brereton born on 3 March 1889 at Kilross, County Tipperary, the second of three children of RIC sergeant Michael Brereton and his wife Ellen (nee Moran). By the time of the 1901 Census George Thomas was living with his family at New Ross, Wexford, but his location by the time of the following census is not known.
Brereton enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 11 November 1915 (No.1848 – later Corps of Hussars No.71590). He embarked for France in 1916 or early 1917, where he was posted to one of the three squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment. He appeared on a list of sick and wounded men around April 1917.
He remained with the North Irish Horse throughout the war, and on 7 May 1919 was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
By 1963 George Thomas Brereton was living at 6 Riverdale Park, East Belfast, a retired grocery manager. He died on 4 February that year.
Image of Brereton's British War Medal copyright © Phillip Tardif with all rights reserved as set out in this Use of Material policy.