Private Joseph Colvin
The background of this North Irish Horseman is not known at present. He may, however, have been the Joseph Colvin born on 28 May 1897 at Cargans, Tanderagee, County Armagh, the last of eight children of labourer John Colvin and his wife Mary (née Clarke). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at nearby Lisbane with his parents and four siblings.
This Joseph Colvin enlisted in the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers, at Portadown on 15 September 1914 (No.14064). Being underage, however, he was discharged on 11 November that year, his military character recorded as 'good'.
Joseph Colvin enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 31 August and 2 September 1916 (No.2260). He trained at the regiment's reserve camp at Antrim. On 30 April 1917 he was one of ten North Irish Horsemen who transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) (No.105373). They embarked for France soon after this.
He remained with the MGC until the end of the war. On 30 May 1920 he was demobilised and discharged from the Army (paragraph 392(xxviii), King's Regulations).