Private Hugh Barclay

The only evidence of this man's military service discovered to date is contained in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland's Roll of Honour, which states that he was a private in the North Irish Horse, lived at Ballyfrenis, County Down, and worshipped at the Ballyfrenis United Free Church.

Hugh Barclay (or Barkley or Barklie) was born on 9 April 1900 in Back Street, Donaghadee, County Down, the fourth of seven children of bread server (later farm servant) Hugh Barclay and his wife Lizzie (née Boyd). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Ballyfrenis, County Down, with his parents and his five surviving siblings.

When Barclay enlisted in the North Irish Horse is not known at present, but given his age it was probably in the last year of the war. He would have trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before being demobilised in 1919.