Lance Corporal George McIldoon
This North Irish Horseman was probably the Robert George McIldoon born at Derrycarran, Tartaghan, County Armagh, the second of nine children of weaver Robert McIldoon and his wife Margaret Ann (nee Clifford).
McIldoon enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 2 December 1911 (No.631). He embarked for France on 17 November 1915 with F Squadron, which was then serving as divisional cavalry to the 33rd Division. In June 1916 F Squadron became part of the newly formed 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to X Corps until September the following year, when the regiment was disbanded and the men transferred to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion. Like most of the men, McIldoon was transferred on 20 September. He was issued regimental number 41222.
McIldoon probably saw action with the battalion during the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917. He was later wounded, in the right shoulder, probably during the fighting near Kemmel Hill during April 1918.
He was discharged as no longer physically fit for war service on 7 January 1919 (paragraph 392 xvi, King's Regulations), and was granted a pension. As late as 1921 his level of disability was assessed at 30 per cent.
Immediately after the war McIldoon lived at Derrymacfall, Portadown, County Armagh. By June 1922, however, he was living in Canada.