Private Thomas Angus
Thomas Angus was born on 9 February 1898 at New Street, Donaghadee, County Down, the third of five children of shopkeeper (later hardware merchant) John Angus and his wife , school teacher Margretta Louisa (nee Foster). His father also had six children by a previous marriage. By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at New Street with his parents, four siblings and four half-siblings.
Angus enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 19 or 20 November 1915 (No.1927). He embarked for France in 1916 or the first half of 1917, where he was posted to either the 1st or 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment.
In September 1917 the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment was disbanded and most of its men, together with some surplus to the needs of the 1st NIH Regiment, were transferred to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion. Like most of the men, Angus was transferred on 20 September. He was issued a new regimental number – 41191 – and posted to D Company.
Angus saw action with the battalion in the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917. He was wounded, probably during the fighting near Marcoing. He returned to duty prior to the opening of the German spring offensive in March 1918, and was one of the many posted as missing following the 9th (NIH) Battalion's fighting withdrawal from St Quentin to near Amiens from 21 to 28 March. It was later learned that he had been captured, unwounded, on 27 March at Erches, near Roye.
Angus remained a prisoner until the end of the war, held at camps in Giessen and Limburg.
After the war Angus returned to Donaghadee and worked in the hardware trade. On 3 January 1935 he married Florence Ross at Ballyblack Presbyterian Church. He died in the Ards Hospital on 24 February 1953 and was buried in the Donaghadee New Cemetery.
Image of Angus from the Larne Times of May 1918 kindly provided by Nigel Henderson, Researcher at History Hub Ulster (www.greatwarbelfastclippings.com).