Private Hamilton Thomas Hutchinson
Hamilton Hutchinson with his wife Mary
Hamilton Thomas Hutchinson was born on 31 August 1893 at Donaghey, Stewartstown, County Tyrone, the first of four children of National School teacher David Hutchinson and his wife Margaret (née Hardy). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Donaghey with his parents and two surviving siblings.
Hutchinson enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 7 and 13 December 1915 (No.2036). He embarked for France in 1916 or the first half of 1917, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st or 2nd North Irish Horse Regiments.
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, Hutchinson was posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – on 20 September, joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt five days later. He was issued regimental number 41492 and posted to C Company. He probably saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917.
Hutchinson was one of the many posted as missing following the 9th (NIH) Battalion's fighting withdrawal from St Quentin from 21 to 28 March 1918 during the German spring offensive. It was later learned that he had been captured, probably on 27 March at Erches, near Roye, when much of the battalion had been overwhelmed by the fast-moving German advance. He remained a prisoner until the end of the war, held at camps in Hautmont, Limburg and Neuhammer.
Soon after the war Hutchinson emigrated to Canada, settling in Toronto, where he joined the Canadian Police Force. On 15 September 1921 he married Mary Elizabeth Abernethy. He died at 37 Eastmount Avenue, Toronto, on 29 December 1946 and was buried in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery.
First image sourced from Ancestry - Public Member Trees, contributor Andrea Brown. Second image sourced from the Find a Grave website.