Private David Chambers
David Chambers was born (initially named Albert Alexander) on 2 June 1892 at Derroar, Sixmilecross, County Tyrone, the second of four children of farm labourer Samuel Chambers and his wife Margaret (née Galbraith). (His father also had children by a previous marriage.) By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Coolry, Sixmilecross, with his parents and a younger brother and working as a farm labourer.
Chambers enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 12 or 13 December 1916 (No.2326). After training at the regiment's Antrim reserve depot, around March 1917 he embarked for France, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st or 2nd North Irish Horse Regiments.
In August-September 1917 the 2nd NIH Regiment was disbanded and its men, together with some surplus to the needs of the 1st NIH Regiment, were transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, an infantry regiment. Most, including Chambers, were transferred on 20 September and were posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion, joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt five days later. Chambers was issued regimental number 41452.
He probably saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917, and perhaps also during the German offensive in March and April 1918.
Chambers was wounded in August or September 1918 during the Advance to Victory offensive.
At the end of February 1919 he was transferred to the Royal Irish Regiment (No.41271), serving with the Army of Occupation on the Rhine. He was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve, on 24 September 1919.
Chambers' half-brother Thomas also served in the war, in the 9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. He was killed in action on the Somme on 1 July 1916.