North Irish Horse - Gallery - In memoriam

In memoriam

Corporal Thomas John McCormick

Thomas John McCormick was born on 11 December 1887 at Woodside, Killeter, County Tyrone, the fourth of nine children of farmer and carpenter Thomas McCormick and his wife Catherine Rebecca (nee Kyle).

McCormick enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Castlederg between 16 November and 2 December 1912 (No.759, later Corps of Hussars No.71096). He embarked for France with A Squadron on 17 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.

In May 1916 A Squadron joined with D and E Squadrons to form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to VII, XIX then V Corps until February 1918, when it was dismounted and converted to a corps cyclist regiment.

On 27 March during the German spring offensive McCormick was killed in action just west of the old Somme front where the British line was being consolidated. The regimental diary for that day states:

Regiment employed on Traffic duties and Training Lewis Gunners. H/71096 Cpl McCormick Killed

McCormick was buried in the village of Senis (map reference 57d.V.17.a.5.7). After the war his body was exhumed and re-buried in the Senlis Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France, grave II.C.2.

The gravestone inscription reads:

H/71906 CORPORAL
T. J. MC CORMICK
NORTH IRISH HORSE
27 MARCH 1918