TAYLOR, William Edward

Sapper, 63rd Field Coy., Royal Engineers
Service No: 143626
Died: 13/10/1916
Age: 31

Remembered on Thiepval Memorial
Remembered on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

William is listed on the Roll of Honour of
Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church

William Taylor was born on 14 June 1885 at Glencraig, Craigavad. He was the son of Samuel Taylor, an agricultural labourer who gave his occupation as Land Steward at that time, and his wife Margaret Taylor nee Childs, and the the youngest of their eight children.

On leaving school William became an agricultural labourer working with his father but by the time of the 1911 census he had become a carpenter.

William enlisted on the 6th December 1915 and transferred from the reserve battalion for active service on 12 February 1916. He was transferred to the BEF in July 1916 and joined the 63rd Field Company on 2 August 1916.

Sadly, his service did not last long and he was killed in Action on 13 October 1916.

William is also commemorated on the Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church Roll of Honour and in Ballyrobert Orange Hall where he was a member of LOL No. 1920.

IRVING, Thomas James

Private, 2nd Batt., Border Regiment

Service No: 21568

Died: 01/07/1916
Age: 47

    

Remembered on Thiepval Memorial

Remembered on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

Thomas was born in 1868 in Annan, Dumfrieshire, to James Irving, a joiner and his wife Isabella who hailed from Broughton in Cumbria. 

The third of their four sons, Thomas grew up in Cumbria, and on leaving school gained employment as an Iron Moulder.

He moved to Belfast in 1891 and, in November 1892, he married Martha Johnston, a widow, and they were living with Martha's daughter and sister in Upper Meadow Street, Belfast, in 1901. Sadly Martha passed away at their home in Moneyrea Street in 1906.

Thomas's brother Lester had also moved to Ireland and was working as a carpenter in Bangor when he married Annie barbour in 1898. On the death of their mother, their father James moved to live with Lester in Bingham Street, Bangor, and it was there he died in 1907.

It was Lester's address that Thomas gave when he enlisted. 

MURPHY, John

Rifleman, 3rd Batt., Royal Irish Rifles
Service No: 7446
Died: 14/12/1918
Age: 29

Interred in Bangor Cemetery

John Murphy was born on 23rd January 1889 in 22 College Street West, the fourth child of James Murphy, a labourer, and his wife Sarah (nee Simpson).

As was common with lower working class families at the time, the family can be found living at a number of addresses and where living in Eureka Street at the time of the 1901 Census. However, the family had moved once again and where living in Bentham Street when his mother Sarah died in 1904.

In June 1908, John now living in Conway Street, he enlisted in the Royal Irish Rifles (Special Reserve). As part of a restructuring of the militia regiments that year this had been the 4th Royal Irish Rifles with which John had served previously.

On the outbreak of war, John was called up and went to France in September 1914 with the Expeditionary Force. He was wounded and sent home in October 1914 with a gun shot wound to his right thigh.

Although the wound caused no permanent incapacity John was now suffering from chronic bronchitis. It was believed this had originated in 1914 when he was at camp near Belfast and had been aggravated by his service in France. He was discharged on 16th April 1915 as no longer physically fit for service.

His condition gradually worsened and in April 1917 he applied for a Total Disablement Pension.

On 7th November 1918 John married Margaret Foley in St. Matthews Church, Ballymacarrett.

Unfortunately, they weren't to have much time together, for just five weeks later, on 14 December 1918, John was to die of heart failure at the home of his sister Elizabeth in Bangor.

SMITH, Albert

Rifleman Albert Smith

Rifleman, 14th Batt., Royal Irish Rifles
Service No: 17005
Died: 16/08/1917
Age: 22

Remembered on Tyne Cot Memorial
Remembered on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

Albert was born in Partick, Glasgow in 1895 the son of John Smith, a shoe maker, and his wife Elizabeth (nee Haddock) and was the second of their 10 children.

His father John, was from the Maze in Lisburn, had moved to Glasgow where he worked for the Belfast and Glasgow Boot Company and it was there he married his wife Elizabeth in Partick in 1892. Albert and his older sister Edith were born there before the family returned, first to Lisburn (son John born at the Maze in July 1897) and thence to Belfast where the rest of their children were born.

His father John worked his way up through the company (and would eventually become its proprietor) and Albert became an apprentice in the firm on leaving school.

Albert enlisted with the 14th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles (YCV) entering France in October 1915 and was killed in action at Passchendaele in August 1917. His brother John, who served with the 15th Battalion, was taken prisoner and released after the Armistice.

Portrait photo courtesy Great War Belfast Clippings.

BURTON, John

Sergt. John Burton

Sergeant, 14th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Service No: 16282
Died: 01/07/1916
Age: 25

Remembered on the Thiepval Memorial
Remembered on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

John Burton was born 6th February 1890 at 8 Cooke Street, Ormeau Road, Belfast. His parents were John Burton, a warehouseman, and his wife Agnes Amelia Burton nee Curry and was the second of their five children.

In 1901 the family had moved to Haypark Avenue and by 1911, with John's father having gained a positon as Manager, had moved to Marlborough Park in south Belfast. At this time John was working as an Embroidery Designer.

Joining the 14th Battalion (YCV) of the Royal Irish Rifles, John gained the rank of Sergeant.

He took part in the opening battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916, and on the 29th July 1916 the Northern Whig reported that: "Mr John Burton, Cranmore Park, Lisburn Road, has been notified that his son, Sergeant Burton, Y.C.V., was wounded on 1st July."

However, John was subsequently reported as missing, presumed killed on that date.

Portrait photo Imperial War Museum

ARMSTRONG, William Wilberforce

2nd-Lieut. W. W. Armstrong

Second Lieutenant, 
7th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Died: 27/12/1917
Age: 24

Interred in Jerusalem War Cemetery
Remembered on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

Known as Billy, William Armstrong was born on the 2nd December 1893 at Rosetta Park in Belfast. He was the youngest son of William Armstrong, a Linen Merchant, and Eliza Jane Armstrong nee McClure.

The family subsequently moved to Bangor where they resided at Ballysallagh House at Clandeboye. Billy spent his later education at Bangor Grammer School before joining his fathers firm in Amelia Street, Belfast.

When war broke out Billy joined the 6th Battalion, The Black Watch. He served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from May, 1915 and fought at Festubert on the Somme, Beaumont Hamel, Arras and Ypres. He returned home in January, 1917, and after a period of training at Gaile’s Cadet Corps, was gazetted Second Lieut. with the 7th Battalion, The Black Watch in June.

In December 1917, he joined the Expeditionary Force in Egypt, and was killed in action in Palestine on the 27th December 1917.

In writing to his father Lieut.-Col. Younger wrote: “Your son had only been with us a short time, but proved himself a first-class officer, and his men had every confidence in him, and would follow him anywhere. We shall miss him greatly; though we knew him for so short a time he had shown himself to be one of those who can be trusted anywhere. You may well be proud of the way he did his duty and died at the head of his men.” Captain Sharp wrote: “When he was killed he was gallantly leading his platoon in the attack. His men, like myself, can say nothing but praise for him. . . . By his death I lose an officer who, though he had been but a short time with me, had already shown great ability and leadership.”

In the other case several weeks of uncertainty and anxiety have been ended by the receipt of the worst news. The officer concerned was Lieut. W. W. Armstrong, of the Black Watch, son of Mr. W. Armstrong, Ballysallagh House, Clandeboye, head of the firm of William Armstrong & Co., yarn merchants, Amelia Street, Belfast. Lieutenant Armstrong was in his father's firm before he joined the Territorial Force. He was a gallant young officer, and had seen much service before he was reported wounded on 23rd ult. Nothing was heard of him till Monday, when a wire came stating that he had been killed, and not wounded, on that date.

Larne Times, 26th January 1918.

SLOAN, William Andrew

Rifleman, 11th Batt., Royal Irish Rifles
Service No: 6791
Died: 01/07/1916
Age: 19

Remembered on Thiepval Memorial
Remembered on Family Memorial in Bangor Cemetery

William Andrew Sloan was born on the 5th October 1896 in Conlig. He was the son of Anthony Sloan, a Car Driver and his wife Elizabeth (Lizzie) Sloan nee McCreedy.

He enlisted on the outbreak of the war and went to France with the Royal Irish Rifles entering the war zone on 5th October 1915, his 19th birthday.

William was killed on the 1st July 1916 at the Somme.