Private John Adair
John Adair was born on 16 September 1898 at Balloo, Muckamore Grange, County Antrim, the fourth of six children of labourer (later railway platelayer) James Adair and his wife Mary (nee Richardson). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living with his parents and three of his siblings at Seacash, County Antrim.
Adair enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 5 May 1917 (No.2440 – later Corps of Hussars No.71828). He embarked for France in late 1917 or 1918, where he was posted to one of the three squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, which served as corps cyclists to V Corps from March 1918.
Adair saw action with the regiment during the Advance to Victory offensive from August 1918. In August or early September he was wounded in the right forearm and knee. Evacuated to the UK for treatment, once he had recovered he was posted to the 2nd Reserve Regiment of Cavalry at the Curragh.
On 21 June 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
In 1920 Adair was granted a pension as a result of his wounds, which were assessed as causing 50 per cent disablement.
Adair's brother George also served in the war, as a rifleman in the 11th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles. He was killed in action at the Battle of Langemarck on 16 August 1917.
Image from the Larne Times, 28 September 1918.