Poppy In memoriam Poppy

Private Alexander Blair

 

Blair 1

 

Blair 2

 

Private Alexander Blair, V Corp Cyclist (North Irish Horse) Regiment, Service No 71699 (Corps of Hussars). Born Ligoniel, Antrim. Enlisted Antrim. Residence Belfast. Son of Alexander and Mary Blair. Died on 2 September 1918. Buried at Varennes Military Cemetery, Somme, France, grave III.J.13. The gravestone inscription reads:

71699 PRIVATE

ALEX BLAIR

NORTH IRISH HORSE

2ND SEPTEMBER 1918 AGE 25

HAVING SERVED HIS GENERATION

BY THE WILL OF GOD

HE FELL ON SLEEP

 

The following information is sourced from Robert Thompson's Ballymoney Heroes: 1914-1918, pp.353-54.

"When Alex first enlisted he was under the age limit and when his mother found out about it she got him released but he just waited his chance and enlisted again as soon as the opportunity arose. It was pointless and so she had to let him go. Alex Blair's sister, Jeannie, the youngest of the family, still has vivid memories of her brother being home on leave. ... Alex was allowed home from France on compassionate leave [following the death of his brother], and one of her memories is of seeing the sun glinting on the buttons of Alex's uniform as the funeral moved up the hill away from the house. ... Alex had to return to his unit immediately the funeral was over and he left for the last time that evening. Jeannie, or Mrs. Morrison, as she later became, can still remember Alex's last words to her as he left the house. Toys were few in those days and he promised to bring her a wee circus the next time he was home. [He died a short time later.] A report in the Constitution of 5th October 1918 tells of him being in hospital suffering from shell-shock. It doesn't mention any wounds, but the timing would be right."

Note: The 1911 Census of Ireland shows Alex Blair as aged 12, confirming the story that he was underage when he first joined.

Image of gravesite kindly provided by Richard Evans. See his website Nelson, Glamorgan and the Great War http://www.nelson-ww1-memorial.org.uk. Image of Private Blair sourced from Robert Thompson's Ballymoney Heroes: 1914-1918.