Private Herbert Peden
Herbert Peden was born on 3 April 1894 in Dunluce Street, Portrush, County Antrim, the second of four children of American-born post-car owner John Rainey Peden and his wife Mary McClelland. By the time of the 1911 Census he was living in Dunluce Street with his parents and siblings and working as a grocer's apprentice.
Peden enlisted in the North Irish Horse at some point following the declaration of war in August 1914 (regimental number unknown). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp until November 1916, when he and around 100 other North Irish Horsemen volunteered to transfer to the Royal Irish Rifles. The formal transfer took place on 7 December (Peden was issued regimental number 40909), and on that day the men embarked for France. There they were posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, joining it on the Somme front on 12 December.
Later that month or in early January 1917, however, Peden was wounded. He was evacuated to the UK for treatment and after recovering, transferred back to the North Irish Horse in July 1917 (regimental number between 2627 and 2631 - later Corps of Hussars No.71920). His subsequent experiences during the war are not known at present. On 19 April 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
Peden emigrated to the United States in 1930. Seven years later he married Isabella Ralston in New Jersey. He died in 1964.
Peden's brother Alexander Boyd Peden also served in the war, in the Royal Naval Air Service and the Machine Gun Corps.