Lance Corporal Robert Lavery McCullough
Robert Lavery McCullough was born on 1 March 1896 at 156 Cosgrave Street, Belfast, the first of nine children of joiner William McCullough and his wife Alice (nee Lavery). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living with his parents and five siblings at Dargle Street, Belfast, and working as a grocer's assistant.
It appears that soon after this McCullough enlisted in the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards. (The image below is dated 10 April 1913.) However it is likely that he left that regiment before the outbreak of war.
4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards
McCullough enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 13 and 19 May 1915 (No.1546 – later Corps of Hussars No.71434). He embarked for France with E Squadron on 11 January 1916. E Squadron was then serving as divisional cavalry to the 34th Division, but in May 1916 it joined with A and D Squadrons to form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps. In February-March 1918 the regiment was converted to a cyclist unit. This left a large surplus of men in the regiment (a cyclist regiment was 25 per cent smaller) and many were transferred to other units over the next month.
On 13 April 1918 McCullough, with another Horseman, Edward Hall, was posted to the Military Mounted Police on probation. McCullough was issued regimental number P/15733. His formal transfer was confirmed in the following months.
Around July 1918 he was posted to a Traffic Control Unit, and after the Armistice served on traffic control with the Military Mounted Police in the Army of Occupation in Germany, at Schlebusch near Cologne.
McCullough with No.1 Traffic Control Unit at Schlebusch, 19 May 1919.
In 1920 McCullough married Karoline Adolfine Baenfer at Schlebusch. He returned to the UK with his family around 1922.
By 1955 McCullough was living at 11 Mountainview Park, Belfast, and working as a storeman. He died at home on 25 May that year.
Images and some of the information above kindly provided by Tina Mulholland Tinsley.