Private James Crothers
The background of this North Irish Horseman is not known at present.
James Crothers enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 24 May 1915 (No.1596 – later Corps of Hussars No.71464). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France on 11 January 1916 with E Squadron, which at the time was serving as divisional cavalry to the 34th Division.
In May 1916 E Squadron came together with A and D Squadrons to form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps until February-March 1918, when the regiment was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit. It then served as corps cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war.
Crothers remained with the regiment throughout the war. In 1918 he fell ill and was evacuated to the UK where, on 31 May, he was admitted to the Southwark Military Hospital. It is not known whether he returned to front-line service after he recovered.
On 5 March 1919 Crothers was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
The above image, from the Belfast Weekly Telegraph of 26 February 1916, can be seen in its full context here.