Private Charles Dornan
Charles Dornan was born on 6 February 1880 at Old Warren, Blaris, Lisburn, County Antrim, one of around ten children of blacksmith John Dornan and his wife Letitia (née Neill). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Old Warren with his widowed mother and a sister, and working as a blacksmith.
Dornan enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Lisburn on 9 February 1914 (No.896). He gave his age as 22, rather than his actual age of 34, and his trade as farrier.
He was mobilised following the declaration of war, but at some point he had injured his fingers, and on 30 September 1914 he faced a medical board, which recommended he be discharged as permanently unfit for military service. Treatment in the Belfast Military Hospital proved unsatisfactory, and on 15 October 1914 Dornan was discharged (paragraph 154(xi), Special Reserve Regulations). His military character was recorded as 'very good'.
After his discharge Dornan returned to his home at Dublin Road, Lisburn. On 21 April 1924 he married Amelia Ferguson at the Clough Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church. By 1945 he was living with his wife at Dublin Road and working as a service station proprietor. He died on 29 December that year.