Private Rennie Lord
Rennie Lord was born on 28 September 1898 in Colne, near Nelson, Lancashire, one of at least three children of cotton loom mechanic William Lord and his wife Susan (née Blackburn). At the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 26 Windsor Street, Colne, with his mother, step-father (cotton-mill weaver James Knowles), two siblings and a number of others, and working part time in a cotton mill.
Lord enlisted at Nelson on 14 March 1917. He was described as being 5' 6½" tall, with a sallow complexion, dark brown hair, and grey eyes. His occupation was recorded variously as a plasterer's labourer and a coal hawker. Between 3 and 11 July 1917 he was posted to the North Irish Horse (regimental number between 2608 and 2612 – later Corps of Hussars No.71907).
He was reported to have deserted from the regiment's reserve base at Antrim on 29 March 1918. He must have been apprehended or returned to duty, for he was reported to have again deserted from Antrim on 9 October 1918. It is not known if he was apprehended on this occasion.
At the time of the 1939 Register, Lord was living at 18 Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, with his wife Rose and their children, and working as a general labourer. He died at Sidcup, Kent, on 11 March 1963, and was buried in Sidcup Cemetery.
This page last updated 18 February 2024.