Private Richard Moran
Richard Moran was born on 6 December 1895 at 23 Lower Road, Londonderry, the second of ten children of labourer Richard Moran and his wife Mary (née McShane). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living in Lower Road with his parents and his four surviving siblings and working as an apprentice in tailoring. Another of his siblings died the following year.
Moran was working in Dumbarton, Scotland, when he enlisted on 2 December 1915. He was mobilised on 21 January 1916, joining the North Irish Horse at its Antrim reserve camp. He was issued regimental number 2091. On 26 November 1916 he embarked for France, where he was posted to B or C Squadron of the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment.
In August-September 1917 the 2nd NIH Regiment was disbanded and its men were transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, an infantry regiment. Most, including Moran, were transferred on 20 September and posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt five days later. Moran was issued regimental number 41305 and posted to C Company.
He probably saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917.
On 28 December 1917 Moran was one of twenty-four former North Irish Horsemen who transferred to the Tank Corps (No.304849). Following training at the Tank Corps Depot at Bovington near Wareham, Dorset, Moran was posted to the 5th Advanced Tank Workshop Company. He embarked for France on 27 June 1918.
Moran returned to the UK on 5 June 1919. On 5 July he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
After the war Moran returned to Dumbarton. He died at Glasgow in 1955.