Private Arthur Stringer
Arthur Stringer was born in August 1877 in Halifax, British Columbia, the only child of County Armagh-born building worker William Stringer and his Newfoundland-born wife Mary Ann. In his early years Arthur moved with his parents to Ireland, settling in Halliday's Road, Belfast.
On 26 February 1901 Stringer enlisted in the Imperial Yeomanry, serving in South Africa in the 61st (Dublin) Company, 17th Battalion, Second Contingent. Further details can be seen here.
On 25 December 1902 he married Lizzie Skelton in St Aidan's Church of Ireland Parish Church, Belfast. The couple had four children over the next twelve years. At the time of the 1911 Census they were living at Halliday's Road, Stringer working as a tramway brakesman.
Stringer enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Belfast on 2 October 1914 (No.1256). He was aged 37 at the time. In December 1914 he embarked with D Squadron for England, where they camped at Cople, Bedford, and awaited orders for France. However an old injury began to trouble him, and on 17 March 1915 he faced a medical board. It found:
The patient had his left leg severely burned 12 years ago. About 5 weeks ago he got pains & numbness in the leg, & some swelling in the foot after walking. [The cause of his disability was] weakness of the veins owing to the scarring after the burns. Not caused by military service because in his civil employment the man is on his feet all day.
Stringer had been advised to have an operation on his leg, but declined. The board therefore recommended that he be discharged as permanently unfit for service of any sort. This took place on 30 March (paragraph 392 xvi, King's Regulations). Stringer's military record was recorded as "very good".
On 16 September 1915 he enlisted as a Fitter (General) in the Royal Flying Corps (No.49343), becoming the first former North Irish Horse Other Rank to join that regiment. He served in France from 3 March to 30 September 1917 and was transferred to the Royal Air Force with the rank of Air Mechanic 1 on the RAF's creation on 1 April 1918. On 15 February 1919 he was transferred to the RAF's G Reserve.
This page last updated 25 April 2026.