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Private Herbert Elkin

 

This North Irish Horseman was probably the William Herbert Elkin born on 20 March 1896 at Tamlaght, Omagh, County Tyrone, the ninth of thirteen children of  farmer Robert Elkin and his wife Mary Jane (née Alexander). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Tamlaght with his parents and eight of his siblings, and working on the family farm.

Elkin enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 16 October and 1 November 1916 (No.2297). He trained at the regiment's reserve camp at Antrim.

On 30 April 1917 he was one of ten North Irish Horsemen who transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) (No.105381). They embarked for France soon after this.

Elkin later served in the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), 46th Company. From 9 to 22 March 1918 he was treated at the 18th General Hospital, suffering from an injury to his left hand.

He remained with the MGC until the end of the war. On 12 October 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.

In December 1920 Elkin emigrated to the United States. He died in Oakland, California, on 3 January 1986.