Lance Corporal Charles Essery
Charles Essery was born on 1 February 1895 at 27 Little Victoria Street, Belfast, the first of two children of soldier Charles Essery and his wife Ellen (née Dornan). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 25 Majorca Street, Belfast, with his widowed mother and his brother.
Essery enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 4 and 10 June 1915 (No.1679). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France on 23 February 1916, where he was posted to one of the five North Irish Horse squadrons then in France, probably C or F Squadron.
In May and June 1916 C Squadron combined with F Squadron and the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, and A, D and E Squadrons combined to form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, each serving as corps cavalry units. In August-September 1917 the 2nd NIH Regiment was disbanded and most of the men were transferred to the infantry. Essery, however, was one of fourteen of the regiment who just prior to that (on 18 July) were transferred to the Military Mounted Police (No. P/12023). He remained with the military police until the end of the war.
Following his discharge, Essery returned to Belfast and worked as a fitter. On 14 July 1921 he married Jeanie (Martha Jane) Irwin in the Elmwood Presbyterian Church, Belfast. They later lived at 128 Donegall Avenue. He died in hospital on 18 February 1972 and was buried in the Roselawn Cemetery.
Image sourced from Ancestry.com Public Member Trees - contributor Jane Hoare.