Private Robert Biggart
Robert Biggart was born on 15 August 1896 at Gladhill, Ballymoney, County Antrim, the last of five children of farmer Robert Biggart and his wife Martha (nee Finlay). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Gladhill with his parents, an aunt and three siblings.
Biggart enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 13 and 19 April 1915 (No.1487 – later Corps of Hussars No.71400). He embarked for France on 22 September 1915, where he was posted to A, D or E Squadron.
In May 1916 these three squadrons came together to form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps until March-April 1918, when the regiment was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit, serving as corps cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war.
Biggart was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve, on 12 February 1919.
Robert's brother Samuel Biggart also served in the North Irish Horse during the war. At the end of 1924 they emigrated to Australia (see article below), where they became graziers in the Wagga Wagga district of New South Wales.
Weekly Irish Times, 8 November 1924
Robert died on 12 June 1961 and was buried in the Wagga Wagga Monumental Cemetery.
Image above sourced from Billion Graves website.