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Private James McMullan

 

James McMullan was born on 7 October 1891 in Ballygunaghan, near Donaghcloney, County Down, the fifth of twelve children of labourer Adam McMullan and his wife Ellen (née McVerry). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 120 Park Road, Portadown, County Armagh, with his parents, nine of his ten surviving siblings, and a cousin, and working as a linen weaver.

McMullan enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 24 May 1915 (No.1591 – later Corps of Hussars No.71460). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France during 1916, where he was posted to D Squadron, part of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment.

Later in the war, perhaps at the end of 1916 when he was hospitalised with inflammation of the stomach, McMullan returned to the UK, again serving at the regiment's Antrim camp. In January 1918 he embarked for Egypt with a draft of North Irish Horsemen from Antrim. There he was attached to the 1/1st Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Royal Regiment). He served with that regiment in the Palestine campaign.

While serving in the Middle East, McMullan contracted malaria. On 8 April 1919 following his return to the UK he was discharged, being 'no longer physically fit for war service' (paragraph 392 (xvi), King's Regulations). He was granted a pension due to debility caused by the malaria, his level of disability assessed at 30 per cent in September 1920. He died on 7 December 1926.

 

Portadown Times, 10 December 1926

 

At least one of McMullan's brothers, Adam, also served in the war, in the 9th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers. He was killed in action at the Battle of Langemarck on 16 August 1917.