Private Sidney Ernest Campbell
Sidney Ernest Campbell was born on 15 December 1893 at the military barracks, Athlone, County Roscommon, the second or third of seven children of Bangalore-born Royal Artillery quartermaster-sergeant Martin Alexander Campbell and his English-born wife Florence Ellen (née Hewitt). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at the Ebrington Military Barracks, Londonderry, with his parents and his five surviving siblings, and working as an apprentice for pharmaceutical chemist Samuel Dale.
Campbell enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 8 April 1915 (No.1477 – later Corps of Hussars No.71396). On 22 September 1915 he embarked for France with a reinforcement draft for A, C and D Squadrons – he was probably posted to A or D.
In May 1916 A and D Squadrons came together with E Squadron 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, serving as corps cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war.
At some point in 1918 Campbell applied for a commission and left for the UK for officer cadet training. The end of the war, however, meant that his training ended before his commission came through. On 12 March 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
After the war Campbell returned to Londonderry and worked as a pharmacist. On 5 December 1922 he married Engel Agnes Wylie at St Columb's Cathedral, Londonderry. By 1961 he was living at 38 Limavady Road, Waterside, and 97 Bishop Street. He died on 23 November that year at St Columb's Hospital, and was buried in the Londonderry City Cemetery.
Belfast Telegraph, 23 November 1961