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Private Alfred C. Thompson

 

This North Irish Horseman was probably the Alfred Church Thompson born on 30 May 1897 at Kewrin, Garvagh, County Londonderry, the last of nine children of farmer Thomas Thompson and his wife Margaret Jane (née Maxwell). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Kewrin with his parents and two of his six surviving siblings.

Thompson enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 22 and 24 May 1915 (No.1576 – later Corps of Hussars No.71451). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France sometime between 1916 and 1918, possibly with E Squadron on 11 January 1916.

In May 1916 E Squadron came together with A and D 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. It then served as corps cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war.

Thompson remained with the regiment throughout the war. On 18 February 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.