Private David Dunlop
David Dunlop was born around 1893 in Scotland (or according to another record, in County Donegal), a child of labourer Alexander Dunlop and his wife Mary Jane (nee Chambers). It appears that his mother died when he was just three years old and he was brought up by his grandmother, Mary Jane Chambers, at Dromore, Templedouglas, County Donegal. By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Dromore on the farm of Jane Cheatley, where he worked as a farm servant.
Dunlop enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 2 and 12 December 1912 (No.766). He embarked for France with A Squadron on 17 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.
In May and June 1916, A, D and E Squadrons of the North Irish Horse 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. In 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 infantry. Like most, Dunlop joined the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – on 20 September. He was issued regimental number 41423 and posted to A Company.
It is likely that he saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917, and perhaps also during the retreat from St Quentin in March 1918, the fighting on the Ypres front in April that year, and the initial stages of the Advance to Victory offensive from August 1918.
On 24 September 1918 Dunlop was admitted to the 2nd Stationary Hospital suffering from caustic soda burns, remaining there until 26 October.
Whether Dunlop was demobilised following the Armistice is not presently known, but in December 1919 he joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (No.32790).