Private Robert James Cole
Robert James Cole was born on 30 March 1898 at 5 Deramore Avenue, Belfast, the fourth 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.
Cole enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 6 and 27 May 1916 (regimental number 2174, 2175, 2178, 2180 or 2181 – later Corps of Hussars No.71708). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France sometime between late 1916 and 1918 where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment.
Cole remained with the regiment throughout the war. On 18 February 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
By 1925 Cole was living at 272 Ormeau Road and working as a manufacturer's agent. On 9 July that year he married Winifred Mary Whyte in the Osborne Park Methodist Church, Belfast. He died at his home, 96 Lisburn Road, on 7 February 1963.
At least one of Cole's brothers, George Cole, also served in the war, in the North Irish Horse. His uncle, Lance Sergeant J. Bradshaw, served in the Royal Army Medical Corps.