Saddler Hugh Richard
Hugh Richard was born on 17 December 1879 in John Street, Ballymoney, County Antrim, the first of seven children of car driver George Richard and his wife Mary (née McConaghie). By 1904 he was living in High Street, Ballymoney, and working as a car driver. On 5 September that year he married Annie Holmes in the Third Presbyterian Church. By the time of the 1911 Census the couple was living at 19 Market Street with their three children, Hugh working as a general labourer.
Richard enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 11 December 1915 and 3 January 1916 (Regimental Number one of the following – 2045, 2048 or 2051. Later in the war he was issued Corps of Hussars No.71682). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France sometime between 1916 and 1918, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment. This regiment served as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps from its establishment in May 1916 until February-March 1918, when it was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit. This meant a 25 per cent reduction in the regiment's numbers, and it is probable that this was the time that Richard was transferred to the 11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars.
On 2 May 1919 Richard was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.