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Private Matthew Haggan

 

Haggan

 

Matthew Haggan (or Hagan) was the son of William and Matilda Haggan of Aughavey, Coagh. He enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Antrim in April 1915 (Service No. 1480). At the time he was employed by his brother John in the fowl and egg business in Coagh.

Sent to France on 23 September 1915 as a reinforcement for the North Irish Horse, after 18 months he was invalided home, suffering from pleurisy. After spending some time in Hilden Hospital in Belfast, and visiting his parents, he returned to his unit and volunteered again for overseas service. In January 1918 he was transferred to the 1st Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Royal Regiment) (No.71398 Corps of Hussars).

He contracted malaria while serving in Palestine and died on 17th October 1918, aged 24. (The Regimental diary notes many men dying in hospital, presumably of sickness.)

Private Haggan is buried at Beirut War Cemetery, Lebanon, grave 31.

Image of Private Haggan and some of the above information sourced from Friends of the Somme, Mid Ulster Branch, www.cookstownwardead.co.uk.