Private Thomas Joseph Orr

 

 

Thomas Joseph Orr was born on 22 November 1873 at Brookeboro, County Fermanagh, the last of at least five children of carpenter John Orr and his wife Anne (née Short). On 11 November 1891 at Lisbellaw he enlisted in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (No.693). Posted to the 3rd Battalion, he served until 4 November 1898, when he purchased his discharge. At the time of the 1901 Census he was living at Brookeboro with his widowed mother and an adopted brother and working as an agricultural labourer. On 9 July 1902 he married nursemaid Elizabeth Brown in the Church of Ireland Parish Church in Aghavea, County Fermanagh. The couple had at least eight children over the next eighteen years. At the time of the 1911 Census the couple and their four children were living at Derryloman, Brookeboro, Thomas working as an agricultural labourer.

Orr enlisted in the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron on 26 October 1914 (No. UD/95) on the same day as two of his nephews, Henry and William. Also joining the squadron that month were two of his brothers and another nephew. On 6 October 1915 he embarked for France with his squadron, which was then serving as divisional cavalry to the 36th (Ulster) Division.

Thomas was granted home leave from 11 to 19 August 1916 following the death of his infant child Robert Ernest.

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.

While undergoing infantry training at the 36th Division Infantry Base Depot at Harfleur, Orr, by then in his 40s, was found to be unfit for front-line service. On 25 October 1917 he was transferred to the Labour Corps (No.417046) and posted to No.909 Area Employment Garrison Guard Company. On 1 June the following year he was transferred to the King's Royal Rifle Corps (No.58655) and was posted to the recently-formed 25th (Garrison) Battalion.

Orr returned to the UK on 18 January 1919. On 16 February that year he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.

He died in the Erne Hospital, Enniskillen, on 10 August 1962, and was buried in the Colebrooke Churchyard.

 

Two of Orr's brothers, John Orr and Henry Orr, together with three nephews, William Orr, Henry Orr and John Robert 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. The text accompanying the photograph suggests that this man was a son of John Orr rather than his brother, but this seems unlikely as that son was aged only 14 at the time.

 

This page last updated 19 January 2023.