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Private David Forsythe

 

The background of this North Irish Horseman is not known at present. It seems probable, however, that he was the brother of two other North Irish Horsemen, William John Forsythe and James Forsythe, of Newtownhamilton, County Armagh. That David Forsythe was born on 6 May 1898 at Newtownhamilton, the fifth of nine children of tailor James Forsythe and his wife Jane (née Taylor). At the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 17 Armagh Street, Newtownhamilton with his parents and seven surviving siblings.

Forsythe enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 17 August and 6 September 1917 (No.2671 – later Corps of Hussars 71955). Nothing further has been discovered about his military service.

After the war he lived in Belfast, living at 2 Glentilt Place, and working as a postman. On 11 December 1920 he married Maggie McLernon in the Belfast Registrar's Office. He later returned to Newtownhamilton, serving as a Special Constable from the early 1920s (as did his brother William), and working as a postman until dismissed in 1927. (The articles below give further information on the Forsythe family during the 1920s.)

 

Londonderry Sentinel, 8 January 1921

 

Belfast Telegraph, 12 July 1927

 

This page last updated 10 October 2023.