North Irish Horse - Gallery - In memoriam

In memoriam

Private Thomas Rowland Cartmill

Thomas Rowland Cartmill was born on 25 November 1892 at Killeavy, Newry, County Down, son of furniture dealer Richard Cartmill and his wife Margaret Ann (nee Rowland). A plumber by trade, he lived at Lisdrumgullion, Newry, Co. Down.

On 30 December 1914 he enlisted in the North Irish Horse (No.1387) at Antrim, arriving in France with F Squadron on 17 November 1915. In June 1916 F Squadron joined C Squadron and the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons (Service Squadron) to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment. On 20 September 1917 Cartmill was transferred to the 9th (NIH) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (No.41523), when the 2nd Regiment was dismounted and absorbed into that battalion. He was posted to A Company. On 25 October he was charged with “inducing others to misbehave” while on parade, for which he received 14 days Field Punishment No.1.

Private Cartmill was killed in action between 21 and 28 March 1918 during the retreat from St Quentin in the German ‘Kaiserschlacht’ offensive. Having no known grave, he is commemorated at Pozieres Memorial, panel 77. It is possible that his body is one of two unidentified North Irish Horsemen who lie in the Grand Seraucourt British Cemetery.

He was survived by his wife Ella (nee Dodds) and their three children, Ruth, John and Thomas.