---

 

North Irish Horse contingent to Egypt

 

In August 1917 orders were received that the 2nd NIH Regiment (together with others including the 1st and 2nd South Irish Horse and the 2/1st Northumberland Yeomanry), would be disbanded and the men transferred to the infantry. A party of 71 men of the regiment were given the job of conducting the regiment's horses to Egypt, to be handed over for use by mounted units there. They entrained at Beaurainville for Marseilles on 14 August under the command of an officer, Lieutenant T.H.M. Leader, assisted by two NCOs, Sergeant Joseph Ellison and Corporal Francis McMahon. On 25 August they sailed from Marseilles for Alexandria on board HMT Bohemian. Also on board on the same mission were men of the South Irish Horse and the Northumberland Yeomanry.

After a fortnight at Alexandria they returned to France, via Italy, minus two men who had fallen ill. They arrived at the 36th (Ulster) Division Infantry Base Depot at Harfleur on 5 October 1917. After just a few days of infantry training they were posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – which had been renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt on 12 October.

The North Irish Horse contingent comprised an officer and 46 other ranks, together with five men of the 2nd Dragoon Guards and nineteen of the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons who were attached to 2nd NIH Regiment. Their names are listed below. Fifty-eight are known for certain. The remaining twelve are among the sixteen shown in italics.