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Private Hugh Hartin

 

Hugh Hartin was born on 17 March 1896 at Chapel Square, Coleraine, County Londonderry, the second of two children of painter Hugh Hartin and his wife Mary (née McLenaghan). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Chapel Square with his parents and brother.

Hartin enlisted in the North Irish Horse in November 1915 (regimental number unknown at present, but possibly 1878). His cousin Archibald Hartin joined at the same time. He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp until November 1916, when he and around 100 other North Irish Horsemen volunteered to transfer to the Royal Irish Rifles. The formal transfer took place on 7 December (Hartin was issued regimental number 40873), and on that day the men embarked for France. There they were posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, joining it on the Somme front on 12 December.

Nothing more is known about his military service during the war.

Following his discharge Hartin returned to Coleraine and worked as a carpenter. On 1 September 1926 he married Elizabeth Moon at the New Row Congregational Church. He died at the Hopefield Hospital, Corrstown, on 18 January 1958, and was buried in the Coleraine Cemetery.