Private James McClurg
James McClurg was born on 11 September 1893 at 58 Israel Street, Belfast, the second of four children of printer (later box-cutter) James McClurg and his wife Mary Ann (née McClements). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 236 Old Lodge Road, Belfast, with his parents and siblings and working as an apprentice printer.
McClurg enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 22 and 24 May 1915 (No.1575 – later Corps of Hussars No.71450). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve depot before embarking for France sometime between 1916 and 1918, possibly with E Squadron on 11 January 1916.
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 until February-March 1918, when the regiment was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit, serving as corps cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war.
McClurg remained with the regiment throughout the war. He was wounded in the latter stages of the Advance to Victory offensive from August to November 1918. The wound, however, was not severe, and on 31 January 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
After the war McClurg worked as a printer in Belfast. On 8 July 1921 he married May Morrow at the Sinclair Seamen's Presbyterian Church, Shankill. He later emigrated to the United States, where he settled in Philadelphia and worked as a printing pressman. He died at 1682 Margarte Street, Philadelphia, on 15 September 1963.