Private Louis Potts
Louis (or Lewis) Potts was born on 28 April 1882 (originally named Thomas) at Drumgrole, Ballybay, County Monaghan, the fifth of seven children of farmer Thomas Potts and his wife Annie (nee Burke). His mother died when he was young, and in 1893 his father remarried, to Eliza Jane Millar. By 1911 he was living with his father and step-mother at Drumgrole and working on the family farm.
Potts enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 28 December 1911 (No.650 – later Corps of Hussars No.71055). He embarked for France on 17 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.
He remained with the regiment throughout the war. At some point he contracted rheumatic fever and was admitted to the No.7 Stationary Hospital.
On 10 February 1919 he was discharged as being no longer fit for military service (paragraph 392(xvi) King's Regulations).
After the war Potts returned to farming at Drumgrole. On 30 November 1927 he married farmer's daughter Martha Scott.
Potts died at the County Hospital, Monaghan, on 15 March 1957.
Image sourced from Ancestry, contributor 'annjackson69'.