North Irish Horse - Gallery - In memoriam

In memoriam

Private John Cully

John Cully was born on 8 August 1894 at Lisdrumchor, Markethill, County Armagh, the first of four children of farmer Robert Cully and his wife Minnie (nee Hadden). By 1911 he was living at Lisdrumchor and working on the family farm.

Cully enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Newry on 22 December 1913 (No.884 – later Corps of Hussars No.71146). He embarked for France with C Squadron on 20 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.

It is likely that Cully returned home at some time between 1914 and 1917, either sick or wounded. After his recovery he returned to France, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment – A, D or E.

The 1st NIH Regiment, formed in May 1916, served as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps until February-March 1918, when it was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit, serving as corp cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war.

The regiment saw a great deal of action during the Advance to Victory offensive from August to November 1918. Private Cully was wounded in the second half of October, or on 4 November as V Corps pushed through the Forêt de Mormal. He died on 4 November, and was buried in the Forest Communal Cemetery, Nord, France, grave B.6. His gravestone inscription reads:

71146 PRIVATE
J. CULLY
NORTH IRISH HORSE
4TH NOVEMBER 1918