Poppy In memoriam Poppy

Second Lieutenant Robert James McCullough

 

 

 

Robert James McCullough was born on 4 November 1895 at 8 Portallo Street, Belfast, the only child of clerk William McCullough and his wife Isabella (nee Bell).

He was educated at the Municipal Technical Institute, Belfast. In 1911 he was living with his parents at 52 Fitzwilliam Street and working as an apprentice engineering clerk.

McCullough enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 11 November 1915 at Antrim (No.1850), and was posted to No.1 Troop, H Squadron. On 7 February he was promoted to lance corporal.

McCullough applied for a commission in the infantry on 30 May 1916 and two months later reported for duty at the No.7 Officer Cadet Battalion at the Curragh. On 19 December he was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant and posted to the 16th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. He joined the battalion in the field on 16 February 1917.

On 22 October 1917 the battalion took part in an unsuccessful attack on Houlthurst Forest during the Third Ypres offensive, suffering 9 officer casualties and 327 other ranks. McCullough was one of the officers killed that day, though his body was not recovered.

A later report in the Belfast News-Letter stated that: "since the beginning of this year he took part in several engagements, and in the last one, although slightly wounded, 'he carried on until he was killed.'"

As he has no known grave, 2nd Lieutenant McCullough is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, Panel 61.

 

 

Memorial images Copyright © Phillip Tardif with all rights reserved as set out in this Use of Material policy. Image of McCullough from the Belfast Evening Telegraph kindly provided by Nigel Henderson, Researcher at History Hub Ulster (www.greatwarbelfastclippings.com).