Private Charles John Hamilton
Charles John Hamilton was born on 20 March 1895 at Droit, Gortin, County Tyrone, the last of three children of farmer James Alexander Hamilton and his wife Matilda (formerly Galbraith). By 1911 he was living on the family farm at Droit with his widowed mother and brother.
Hamilton enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 16 December 1912 (No.769). On 20 August 1914 he embarked for France with C Squadron, seeing action in the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne. He remained with the squadron until mid-1917, when the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, including C Squadron, was disbanded and the men trained as infantrymen. A number, however, were found to be not physically fit for front-line service, and were transferred to other roles. Hamilton was transferred to a home service company of the Labour Corps (No.388311) on 18 August 1917.
On 15 July 1918 he was discharged due to illness, under pargaraph 392 xvi(a) of King's Regulations – being no longer physically fit for war service having suffered impairment since entering the service.
After leaving the army, Hamilton returned to farming. He died at Eskermore, Beragh, County Tyrone, on 30 December 1943.
Hamilton's older brother William Samuel Hamilton, also served in the North Irish Horse during the war.