Private John Robert Orr

 

 

John Robert Orr was born at Brookeboro, County Fermanagh, on 10 May 1892, the first of eight children of carpenter John Orr and his wife Rebecca (née Cranston). At the time of the 1911 Census he was living in Brookeborough Town with his parents and six surviving siblings, and working as a carpenter's apprentice.On 25 April 1914 he enlisted at Enniskillen in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (No.3273), but was discharged by purchase four days later.

Orr enlisted in the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron between 13 and 19 October 1914 (No. UD/48). His father, two of his brothers and two uncles also joined the squadron that month. On 6 October 1915 he embarked for France with his squadron, which was then serving as divisional cavalry to the 36th (Ulster) Division.

In June 1916 the Inniskilling squadron joined with C and F Squadrons of the North Irish Horse to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to X Corps. In September 1917 the regiment was disbanded and its men were transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, an infantry battalion. Most, including Orr, were transferred on 20 September and posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt some days later. Orr was issued regimental number 41151 and posted to A Company.

Orr saw action with his battalion during the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917, during which his brother Henry was killed and brother William wounded. The Fermanagh Times of 20 December 1917 reported that:

Intimation was received on Tuesday from his brother, Pte. John Robert Orr that Pte. Harry Orr (41091), Royal Irish Fusiliers, and late of the Inniskilling Dragoons, one of the three soldier sons of Mr. John Orr, Brookeborough, was missing. His younger brother, Pte. Willie Orr (41092), of the same battalion, is wounded and in hospital at Eastleigh.

Orr was one of the many posted as missing following the 9th (NIH) Battalion's fighting withdrawal from St Quentin from 21 to 28 March 1918 during the German spring offensive. It was later learned that he had been captured, unwounded, on 27 March, probably at Erches, near Roye, when much of the battalion had been overwhelmed by the fast-moving German advance. On 2 May 1918 the Fermanagh Times reported:

Mr. John Orr, Brookeborough, has received a postcard from Lance-Corporal John Robert Orr, Royal Irish Fusiliers, the oldest of his three soldier sons, saying he is a prisoner of war in Germany. His second son, Harry, is missing since 22nd November last, the youngest son, Willie, having been wounded. All three were members of the local Orange lodges and of the Brookeborough Company U.V.F.

Orr remained a prisoner until the end of the war, held at camps including Giessen. He was repatriated in early 1919 and on 26 March that year was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.

 

Two of Orr's brothers, Henry Orr and William Orr, his father John Orr and two of his uncles, Henry Orr and Thomas Joseph Orr, also served in the war in the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron.

 

The image of Private Orr is part of a family military photograph which can be seen in its full context here.

 

This page last updated 20 January 2023.