Name

William James Reid.

Description

Belfast Telegraph Newspaper Photograph of Sergeant William James Reid.

Life Story

Name: William James Reid.

Service Number: 13417.

Rank: Sergeant.

Battalion: 9th Battalion.

Regiment: Royal Irish Rifles.

Born: Belfast, County Antrim.

Died: 23rd November 1917.

Address: 64 Aberdeen Street, Belfast

.

William James Reid, son of William and Annie Reid, lived with his wife Ellen Jane and four children at 64 Aberdeen Street, Shankill Road, Belfast.

The 1911 Ireland Census has William living at 70 Aberdeen Street with his wife, occupation, Linen Spinner, daughter, Maggie Ann, 3 years, and son Robert James, 1 year.

The house in which they lived was that of his mother and father in law, Isabelle and Robert Moore, occupation, Labourer In Shipyard, 2 brother in laws, Robert, 17 years, Labourer Foundry, John, 14 years, Labourer At Mill, and a sister in law, Rachel, 8 years. Williams occupation at this time is given as Packer.

Sergeant William James Reid had signed the Ulster Covenant on the 28th of September 1912, Ulster Day.

William married Ellen Jane Reid, Nee Moore, on the 21st June 1907 and they went on to have four children, Margaret Ann, born 9th May 1908, Robert James, born 12th September 1909, William Moore, 16th August 1912, and Edward Carson, born 28th September 1914.

William joined the Royal Irish Rifles.

He was posted as part of the British Expeditionary Force.

William James Reid was a Sergeant in B Company, 9th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles when he was Killed In Action on the 23rd November 1917 aged 39 years.

A local newspaper states.

Sergeant William J Reid Royal Irish Rifles, killed in action on November 22, leaves a widow and four children who live at 64 Aberdeen Street, Belfast.

Williams wife, Ellen Jane Reid remarried John Donnelly Cooke on the 9th February 1920 and they lived at 177 Agnes Street, Shankill Road, Belfast.

Williams Soldiers Effects were left to his widow Ellen Jane.

His signed Will left his Property and Effects to his widow also.

He received the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

He is Remembered at Cambrai Memorial, Louverval Military Cemetery, France.

To Remember Is To Honour

.