Private William Henry Elliott

 

 

William Henry Elliott was born on 24 April 1890 at Derryhoney, Lisbellaw, County Fermanagh, the second of four children of farmer William Alexander Elliott and his wife Miriam (nee Graydon). (His father had had a number of other children through a previous marriage.)

Elliott enlisted in the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron between 13 and 20 November 1914 (No. UD/167). He embarked for France with the squadron on 6 October 1915 – it was then serving as divisional cavalry to the 36th (Ulster) Division. In June 1916 the Inniskilling squadron joined C and F Squadrons of the North Irish Horse to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment.

Elliott was wounded in the first days of the Battle of the Somme. The Northern Whig of 20 July 1916 reported:

William Elliott, wounded, whilst assisting under a heavy shrapnel shell fire in carrying the wounded to the dressing station. He is now in the Beaufort War Hospital, Fishponds, Bristol, and is progressing favourably. Trooper Alexander Watt who assisted him was killed. Trooper Elliott, who prior to enlisting was a member of the Enniskillen Horse, is a son of Mr. Alexander Elliott, Lougheyes, Lisbellaw, and a nephew of Mr. and Mrs. J. Liddy, Commercial Hotel, Enniskillen.

After he recovered Elliot returned to the Inniskilling squadron's reserve at Enniskillen.

In April 1917 he was one of ten men of the squadron who transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) (No.105463) – together with around ten from the South Irish Horse. They embarked for France on 24 April.

Elliott was transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve, on 6 March 1919. After the war he applied for a land grant under the Irish Land (Provision for Sailors and Soldiers) Act 1919 - he gave his address at the time as Derryhoney.

 

Image from the Belfast Evening Telegraph of 26 August 1916 kindly provided by Nigel Henderson, Researcher at History Hub Ulster (www.greatwarbelfastclippings.com).

 

This page last updated 18 April 2023.