Second Lieutenant Thomas Whiteside
Thomas Whiteside was born on 9 May 1890 at Clonmore, near Moy, County Tyrone, the fourth of ten children of land steward William Whiteside and his wife Charlotte (nee Hyde). The family later moved to County Cork, where Thomas was educated at Ballyhooly National School. Having completed an apprenticeship in 1909, by the 1911 Irish Census he was living in Wexford and working as an ironmonger's shop manager.
Whiteside enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Antrim on 1 March 1915 (No.1462 – later Corps of Hussars No.71389). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France on 17 November 1915 with F Squadron, which at the time was serving as divisional cavalry to the 33rd Division.
Whiteside was promoted to lance corporal on 19 May 1916, corporal on 22 February 1917, and lance sergeant on 25 June 1917.
In September 1917 the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, including Whiteside's squadron, was disbanded and most of the men transferred to the infantry. Whiteside, however, had applied for a commission on 27 August, with a preference for the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. He left France for the UK at the end of September, and after a short period of leave, on 9 November 1917 reported for duty at No.7 Officer Cadet Battalion, Fermoy. After a period of training he was assessed as having a well up to average standard of education, fair military knowledge, and a good word of command. He was "an excellent teacher" and had special qualifications in riding. Overall, he was "a good type of cadet."
On 27 March 1918 Whiteside was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant and posted to the Royal Irish Regiment. Two months later he was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and posted to the 252nd Company, attached to the 214th Brigade.
In September 1918 the Brigade left for the North Russian theatre for action against the Bolsheviks. Whiteside was wounded at Kodish on 7 February 1919. He returned to the UK later that year. For his service in Russia he was awarded a Croix de Guerre by the French Government.
On 14 October 1919 Whiteside relinquished his commission on completion of his service.
After the war Whiteside lived in Dublin and worked as a business manager. On 25 July 1921 he married Louisa Speidel at the Abbey Street Methodist Church, Dublin. He died on 25 January 1961 at the Adelaide Hospital, Peter Street, Dublin.