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Lance Corporal Robert Nugent

The background of this North Irish Horseman is not known at present. He may have been the Robert Nugent born on 24 August 1891 at Donaghaguy, Warrenpoint, County Down, one of ten children of farmer Robert Nugent and his wife Jane (née Kerr). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Donaghaguy with his parents and eight of his siblings and working as a carpenter.

Nugent enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 5 and 8 May 1915 (No.1518).

He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp until the end of December 1916, when he and 39 other North Irish Horsemen volunteered to transfer to the to the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. The formal transfer took place on 9 January 1917, and on the same day they embarked for France, where they were posted to the 10th Battalion, joining it at Ploegsteert Wood on the Ypres front on 16 January. Nugent was issued regimental number 40658.

During 1917 the 10th Battalion saw a great deal of action, including at Messines (7 June), Langemarck (16 August) and Cambrai (November and December). On 21 January 1918 it was disbanded. Nugent was posted to the 9th Battalion, then the 2nd Battalion, before, in May 1918, being transferred to the Royal Irish Rifles (No.45829) and posted to the 16th Battalion.