Shoeing-Smith William Cathcart
William Cathcart was born on 9 March 1889 at Garvagh, Coleraine, County Londonderry, the ninth of eleven children of blacksmith William Cathcart and his wife Jane (nee McConaghy). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 128 Main Street, Garvagh, with his parents, five siblings and a nephew.
Cathcart enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 21 December 1912 and 10 January 1913 (No.774). Soon after he was promoted to the rank of shoeing smith. He embarked for France with C Squadron on 20 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.
In June 1916 C Squadron combined 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 its men transferred to the infantry. Like most, Cathcart joined the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – on 20 September. He was issued regimental number 41462.
Cathcart was later posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers. Nothing more is known about his experiences during the war.
After the war Cathcart returned to Garvagh, where he worked as a blacksmith. On 18 December 1921 he married Margaret Jane Kerr at New Row Presbyterian Church, Coleraine.