Private George Alexander Browne
George Alexander Browne was born on 23 January 1896 at Raneany (Rathneeny), Laghey, County Donegal, the fourth of seven children of farmer Audley Browne and his wife Margaret (nee Young). Educated at Tullynaught School, by 1911 he was living at Raneany with his parents and six siblings and working on the family farm. Prior to the war he was a member of the local unit of the Ulster Volunteer Force.
Browne enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 9 and 12 February 1914 (No.898), with his lifelong friend Hamilton McClay. They embarked for France on 20 August 1914 with C Squadron, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.
In June 1916, C Squadron joined with F Squadron and the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to X Corps until September 1917, when the regiment was disbanded and most of its men were transferred to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion. Like most of the men, Browne was transferred on 20 September. He was issued a new regimental number – 41288.
He probably saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917. In January 1918 he was reported as having been wounded – this probably occurred in the latter part of the fighting at Cambrai, south of Marcoing.
Browne must have recovered and returned to his battalion at the front, for the War Office Daily Casualty List of 30 November 1918 reported that he had been wounded again. (Family recollections are that he had a scar from small shrapnel wound on his lip.)
After the war Browne returned to farming. On 23 April 1935 he married farmer's daughter Florence Scott at Laghey Church of Ireland Parish Church. The couple had seven children, though four died at a very young age. George died in Donegal on 19 November 1963 and was buried in the Laghey Parish Church graveyard.
Browne (right) with Hamilton McClay (left) and another Horseman from Laghey, James Freeborn Wray, photographed in France or Belgium in 1914 or early 1915
George's brother William John Browne also served, and was made a prisoner of war in Germany.
First image from the Ballymena Weekly Telegraph of January 1918 kindly provided by Nigel Henderson, Researcher at History Hub Ulster (www.greatwarbelfastclippings.com). Second image kindly provided by Gareth Browne, grandson of George Alexander.