Corporal Robert Cromie Stewart, MM
Robert Cromie Stewart was born on 20 January 1897 at Cumran, Clough, County Down, the seventh of eight children of Presbyterian clergyman John Stewart and his wife Jane (nee Patterson). His mother died soon after the birth of her next child when Robert was just 3 years old. By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Cumran with his father, aunt and two sisters.
Stewart enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 6 and 16 July 1915 (No.1705 – later Corps of Hussars No.71511). In 1917 or 1918 he embarked for France with a reinforcement draft. There he was posted to the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, probably to A Squadron.
In February 1918 the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment was dismounted and converted to a cyclist regiment, serving as corps cyclists to V Corps for the remainder of the war.
Stewart was wounded in August or September 1918 during the initial phase of the Advance to Victory offensive. He was also awarded a Military Medal for the role he played during the fighting in this period of the war.
On 3 March 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
He died on 1 December 1977 at The Manse, Seaforde, County Down.
Three more images of Corporal Stewart, taken at Vignacourt in December 1918 or January-February 1919, can be seen here, here and here.
Both of Stewart's brothers served during the war, Sergeant John Cromie Patterson Stewart in the North Irish Horse, and Lieutenant Hugh Joseph Lowry Stewart in the Royal Irish Rifles in India.
Lieutenant Hugh Joseph Lowry Stewart
Images kindly provided by Neil Stewart.