Lance Corporal Hugh McClelland
Hugh McClelland was born on 1 November 1880 at Makenny, Kilskeery, County Fermanagh, the third or fourth of seven children of farmer Robert McClelland and his wife Catherine (nee Thompson). By 1911 he was living with his parents and a younger sister at Sandhill, Derrygonnelly, County Fermanagh, and working on the family farm.
McClelland enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Derrygonnelly on 8 February 1911 (No.585), understating his age by six years. He embarked for France with A Squadron on 17 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.
He was wounded in the first weeks of fighting and evacuated to the UK for treatment. The Irish Times of 5 September 1914 reported that he had been wounded, and the Belfast News-Letter of 18 September reported that:
Privates Dickson and McClelland, of the same squadron, who were wounded and invalided home, have been discharged from hospital, and are now at their homes on a fortnight's furlough before they rejoin their squadron.
McClelland returned to France soon after, probably with the reinforcement draft of December 1914 or the following month. He was promoted to lance corporal on 21 November 1915.
When his period of service expired, McClelland chose to leave the army. He was discharged as 'time expired' on 7 February 1916 and left France for home the same day. His record of service was marked as "very good".