Private William Percy Ladley
William Percy Ladley was born on 21 April 1881 at Edremon (Edermin), Cavan, the last of five children of farmer and carpenter Robert Ladley and his English-born wife Margaret (née Percy). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at nearby Drumconnick with his widowed mother, a sister, brother and sister-in-law, and working on the family farm.
Ladley enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 1 or 2 September 1914 (No.1087 – later Corps of Hussars No.71230). On 1 May 1915 he embarked for France with D Squadron, which at the time was serving as divisional cavalry to the 51st Division.
In May 1916 D Squadron came together with A and E Squadrons 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.
Ladley remained with the regiment throughout the war. On 25 February 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.