Private William Thomas Lynn
William Thomas Lynn was born on 16 August 1890 at Sedennan, Omagh, the last of five children of labourer (later sexton) John Lynn and his wife Catherine (nee Bates). His mother died when he was just one year old, his father re-marrying the following year. By the time of the war he was living with his family in Dublin Road, Omagh.
Lynn enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 13 November 1911 (No.634). He embarked for France with C Squadron on 20 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.
In June 1916, C Squadron joined with F Squadron and the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to X Corps until September 1917, when the regiment was disbanded and most of its men were transferred to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion. Lynn, like most, was transferred on 20 September. He was issued a new regimental number – 41472.
Lynn was wounded in the thigh in November or December 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai. Evacuated to the UK, on 18 June 1918 he was discharged as no longer physically fit for war service (paragraph 392 xvi, King's Regulations). He was granted a pension – as late as 1921 his level of disability was assessed at 40 per cent.
Lynn's half-brother Samuel also served during the war, in the 9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.