Lance Corporal George Cole
George Cole was born on 20 July 1893 at 71 Enfield Street, Belfast, the second of nine children of grocer's assistant Robert James Cole and his wife Jane (née Bradshaw). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living in Ormeau Road, Belfast, with his parents and his six surviving siblings, and working as a draper's assistant.
Cole enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 4 and 10 June 1915 (No.1677). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France in 1916 or the first half of 1917. There he was posted to one of the five North Irish Horse squadrons then serving in France and Belgium.
In May and June 1916 A, D and E Squadrons combined to form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, and C and F Squadrons joined the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, each serving as corps cavalry units until August-September 1917, when 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 Cole, were transferred on 20 September and posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt five days later. Cole was issued regimental number 41487 and posted to B Company.
He probably saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917.
Cole was one of the many posted as missing following the 9th (NIH) Battalion's fighting withdrawal from St Quentin from 21 to 28 March 1918 during the German spring offensive. It was later reported that he had been wounded and was being treated in a hospital in London. Whether he saw any further front-line service during the war is not known at present.
Following his demobilisation at the end of the war, Cole lived in Belfast and worked as an electrical engineer. On 20 September 1922 he married Alice Jane Morrison in Newtownabbey. He died at his home, 55 Skegoniel Avenue, on 17 January 1946 and was buried in the Carnmoney Cemetery.
Belfast Telegraph, 18 January 1946
Belfast Telegraph, 19 January 1946
At least one of Cole's brothers, Robert James Cole, also served in the war, in the North Irish Horse. His uncle, Lance Sergeant J. Bradshaw, served in the Royal Army Medical Corps (see below).
Larne Times, 19 August 1916