Corporal Samuel Gray
The background of this North Irish Horseman is not known at present, other than that he was born around 1888.
Samuel Gray enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 29 January 1915 (No.1432). On 1 May 1915 he embarked for France with D Squadron, which at the time was serving as divisional cavalry to the 51st Division.
In May 1916 D Squadron came together with A and E Squadrons to form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps.
On 9 July 1917 Gray was one of around thirty North Irish Horsemen who, being no longer physically fit for front-line service due to injury, age or illness, were transferred to the Labour Corps and posted to No.664 Home Service Labour Company. It appears, based on the records of some of these men, that they continued to serve at the North Irish Horse reserve depot at Antrim. Gray was issued regimental number 333700. He remained with the Labour Corps until the end of the war.
On 11 May 1919 Gray was discharged, being 'no longer physically fit for war service' (paragraph 392 (xvi), King's Regulations). He was granted a pension due to varicose veins.
Soon after the war Gray was living at 21 Norwood Street, Belfast. He later emigrated to Canada.