Private Thomas Augustus Davidson Nugent
Thomas Augustus Davidson Nugent was born on 7 May 1892 at 7 Lee Street, Belfast, the eleventh of fourteen children of commercial traveller (later engine man in a yarn works) Robert Nugent and his wife Annabella (nee Todd). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 13 Montreal Street, Shankill, Belfast, with his parents and six siblings and working as a general labourer.
Nugent enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 13 October 1914 (No.1306 – later Corps of Hussars No.71329). On 1 May 1915 he embarked for France with D Squadron, which at the time was serving as divisional cavalry to the 51st Division.
In May 1916 D Squadron came together with A and E Squadrons to form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps until February-March 1918, when the regiment was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit. This meant a 25 per cent reduction in the regiment's numbers, and it is likely that this was the time that Nugent was transferred to the 8th (King's Royal Irish) Hussars.
Nugent was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve, on 9 February 1919.
It appears that he later re-enlisted, for on 16 November 1920 a Private Thomas Nugent of the 4th (Queen's Own) Hussars, son of engine driver Robert Nugent, married Ellen Jane Parkinson at St Anne's Church of Ireland Parish Church, Belfast.