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Corporal Edward John Brett

 

Edward John Brett was born on 2 May 1892 in Frederick Street, Newtownards, County Down, the first of five children of blacksmith (formerly soldier, later general labourer) John Brett and his wife Mary Ann (née Wightman). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living in Mill Street, Newtownards, with his parents and his two surviving siblings, and working as a labourer.

Brett enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 8 November 1915 (No.1818 – later Corps of Hussars No.71574). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France sometime between 1916 and 1918, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment. This regiment served as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps from its establishment in May 1916 until February-March 1918, when it was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit, serving as corps cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war.

Brett remained with the regiment throughout the war. On 6 March 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.