Private Arthur Stringer
Arthur Stringer was born in August 1877 in Halifax, British Columbia, the only child of County Armagh-born building worker William Stringer and his Newfoundland-born wife Mary Ann. In his early years Arthur moved with his parents to Ireland, settling in Halliday's Road, Belfast.
On 26 February 1901 Stringer enlisted in the Imperial Yeomanry (No.33594). He gave his occupation at the time as a plater. He saw service in the Boer War with the 61st (South Irish Horse (Dublin)) Company, 17th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry between March 1901 and July 1902, when he returned with his company to Ireland. He was discharged the following month.
On 25 December 1902 Stringer married housemaid Lizzie Skelton. The couple had four children over the next twelve years. By 1911 the family was living at Halliday's Road, Stringer working as a tramway brakesman.
Stringer enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Belfast on 2 October 1914 (No.1256). He was aged 37 at the time. In December 1914 he embarked with D Squadron for England, where they camped at Cople, Bedford, and awaited orders for France. However an old injury began to trouble him, and on 17 March 1915 he faced a medical board. It found:
The patient had his left leg severely burned 12 years ago. About 5 weeks ago he got pains & numbness in the leg, & some swelling in the foot after walking. [The cause of his disability was] weakness of the veins owing to the scarring after the burns. Not caused by military service because in his civil employment the man is on his feet all day.
Stringer had been advised to have an operation on his leg, but declined. The board therefore recommended that he be discharged as permanently unfit for service of any sort. This took place on 30 March (paragraph 392 xvi, King's Regulations). Stringer's military record was recorded as "very good".