Lance Corporal William Henry Newburn
William Henry Newburn was born on 25 February 1894 at 8 Turin Street, Belfast, the first of ten children of postman (later GPO inspector) Thomas Newburn and his wife Elizabeth (née Crone). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 441 Lisburn Road, Belfast, with his parents and siblings, and working as a linen apprentice.
Newburn enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 18 and 24 January 1916 (No.2085). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France in 1916 or the first half of 1917, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st or 2nd North Irish Horse Regiments.
In August-September 1917 the 2nd NIH Regiment was disbanded and its men, together with some surplus to the needs of the 1st NIH Regiment, were transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, an infantry regiment. Most, including Newburn, 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. Newburn was issued regimental number 41298.
No information has been discovered about Newburn's service with the 9th (NIH) Battalion through the latter part of 1917 and during 1918.
In 1921 Newburn emigrated to the United States. He married Alice Frederika Kilmer in Watertown, Massachusetts three years later. He died on Staten Island, New York, on 29 November 1949.