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Private Robert Catterson

 

Robert Catterson was born on 5 March 1897 at Pullyernan, Castlederg, County Tyrone, the tenth of eleven children of farm labourer James Catterson and his wife Margaret (née Nelson). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Pullyernan with his parents and three of his five surviving siblings.

Catterson enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 29 January and 12 April 1917 (No.2373 – later Corps of Hussars No.71781). In January 1918 he embarked for Egypt with a draft of North Irish Horsemen from the regimental reserved depot at Antrim. There he was attached to the 1/1st Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (Sherwood Rangers), serving with that regiment in the Palestine campaign. He was still serving in late 1919.

Following his discharge from the army Catterson was awarded a pension, until 1922, for malaria contracted while serving in the Middle East.

 

Catterson's brother James Catterson (or Katterson) also served in the war, in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He was killed in action in France on 2 April 1918.