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Lance Corporal Sydney W. Montgomery

 

Sydney W. Montgomery was born on 14 April 1890 at Ballylough, Downpatrick, County Down, the last of thirteen children of spinning master (later flax merchant and spinning mill manager) John Montgomery and his wife Eliza (née Montgomery). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 13 Cliftonville Avenue, Belfast, with his parents and three of his nine surviving siblings, and working as an apprentice in the linen business.

Montgomery enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 1 October 1914 (No.1239). After training at the regiment's reserve depot at Antrim, on 2 June 1915 he embarked for France, where he was posted to A, C or D Squadron.

At some point Montgomery was injured, wounded or fell ill – one record states that he was gassed. It is probable that on his recovery he was no longer fit for front-line service, and was transferred to another regiment, most likely the Labour Corps (regimental number unknown). In March 1918, however, he was transferred back to the North Irish Horse (No.72047).

On 23 January 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.