Private William Cameron
William Cameron was born around 1884 in Scotland, one of ten children of farmer Samuel Cameron and his wife Eliza. The family moved to Ireland at some time after 1901. At the time of the 1911 Census William was living with his parents, two siblings, a nephew and a niece, at Liscreevagahan, Victoria Bridge, County Tyrone, and working on the family farm.
Cameron enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 23 July and 4 August 1913 (No.858 – later Corps of Hussars No.71131). He embarked for France with A Squadron on 17 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne. A Squadron then served as escort and bodyguard to the BEF's commander-in-chief at St Omer, from October 1914 until January 1916, when it was posted as divisional cavalry to the 55th Division.
In May 1916 the squadron came together with D and E Squadrons to form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps until February-March 1918, when the regiment was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit. It then served as corps cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war.
Cameron remained with the regiment throughout the war. On 12 February 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve. He was granted a part-pension for disabilities contracted in or aggravated by the war.
After the war he returned to farming at Liscreevaghan. He died there on 18 July 1958.
Image of Cameron's medals and Princess Mary tin sourced from the website of Noonans Mayfair auctioneers.
This page last updated 6 May 2024.