Second Lieutenant Harold Goulburn Shaw
Harold Goulburn Shaw was born on 27 September 1895 at Bury, Lancashire, the first of two children of flax machinery draughtsman Peter Shaw and his wife Annie (nee Goulburn). After 1901 the family moved to Belfast. In 1911 they were living a 74 Woodvale Road, Shankill, but soon after moved to Pentland, Silverstream, Greenisland. Harold was educated at the Municipal Technical Institute, Belfast, before serving an apprenticeship as a linen factory manager.
Shaw enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Antrim on 16 July 1915 (No.1711 – later Corps of Hussars No.71514). He embarked for France on 22 March 1916, where he was posted to A Squadron.
In September 1916 Shaw fell ill with rheumatic fever. He was evacuated to England, where he was admitted to the 2nd Southern General Hospital at Bristol. After he recovered he resumed duty at the North Irish Horse reserve depot at Antrim.
Shaw applied for a commission in the Royal Garrison Artillery Special Reserve on 17 June 1917. He reported for duty at the No.2 RGA Officer Cadet School at Maresfield Park, Sussex on 2 January the following year. After a period of training he was assessed as "general ability very good". He was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant on 22 July 1918 and posted to the No.2 Siege Artillery Reserve Brigade.
Whether he saw any further service overseas is unknown at present. He relinquished his commission on completion of his service on 8 January 1919.
After the war Shaw returned to England. He married Ivy Elizabeth Banks at Headingley Hill Congregational Church, Leeds, on 23 August 1921. The couple had at least one child before Ivy died in June 1929.
Larne Times and Weekly Telegraph, 3 September 1921