Private James Fletcher
James Fletcher was born (as Robert James) on 23 April 1892 in Divis Street, Belfast, the last of two children of labourer Robert Fletcher and his wife Martha (née Hamilton). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 62 Heather Street, Belfast, with his widowed mother and his sister, and working as a machine oiler.
Fletcher enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 24 May 1915 (No.1586 – later Corps of Hussars No.71457). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France sometime between 1916 and 1918, possibly with E Squadron on 11 January 1916.
In May 1916 E Squadron came together with A and D Squadrons to form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps until February-March 1918, when the regiment was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit. This meant a 25 per cent reduction in the regiment's numbers, and it is probable that this was the time that Fletcher was posted to the 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars. In October that year, while serving with the 8th (King's Royal Irish) Hussars, he was hospitalised, having suffered an injury to his nose and mouth.
On 30 January 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
By 1941 Fletcher was living with his mother at 62 Heather Street and working as an engine driver. They were among the more than 750 killed as a result of the German air raid on the city (part of a series of raids known as the Belfast Blitz) on the night of 15/16 April that year. They are commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Roll of Civilian War Dead.
Belfast News-Letter, 23 June 1941