Name

Samuel Dempster.

Description

Newspaper Photograph of Corporal Samuel Dempster.

Life Story

Name: Samuel Dempster.

Service Number: 7237.

Rank: Private.

Battalion: 1st Battalion.

Regiment: Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Born: Greenock, Scotland.

Died: 25th April 1915.

Address: 136 Disraeli Street, Belfast

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Samuel Dempster, son of Samuel Dempster, lived with his wife and children at 136 Disraeli Street, Shankill, Belfast

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The 1911 Ireland Census has Samuel living at 76.1 Disraeli Street, Shankill, Antrim with his wife and four children. His occupation at this time is given as General Labourer

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Samuel had married Mary Jane Alice Dempster, Nee Cumming, on the 25th September 1904. They went on to have six children, their names and dates of birth are the following, Robert Cumming born 31st July 1905, Isabella Simpson born 30th October 1906, William John born 31st March 1909, Catherine born 9th February 1911, Thomas Cumming born 3rd December 1912, Samuel Cumming born 15th December 1914.

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Samuel signed the Ulster Covenant on the 28th of September 1912, Ulster Day, within Belfast City Hall

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He was also a member of the Orange Order, Ark Of Freedom Temperance L.O.L No 592

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Samuel joined the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

He was posted as part of the British Expeditionary Force to France on the 12th September 1914.

Samuel was a Corporal within 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers when he was Killed In Action at Ypres on the 25th April 1915 aged 32 years

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A local newspaper states.

Corporal Samuel Dempster, 1st Batt, Royal Irish Fusiliers, who was killed in action at Ypres, on April 25, was a reservist employed at Messrs Combe Barbour's. He leaves a wife and six children, who reside at 136 Disraeli Street, Belfast

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Another states

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Mrs Dempster, 136 Disraeli Street, Belfast, has received notification that her husband, Corporal Samuel Dempster, 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers, was killed in action at Ypres on April 25. He was a member of the Ark of Freedom Temperance L.O.L No 592

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Samuel Soldiers Effects were left to his wife.

A Dependant Pension Application Form shows his wife as claimant for herself and 6 children, and that they now lived at 65 Montreal Street, Belfast.

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Samuel received the British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914 Star.

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He is Remembered at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

To Remember Is To Honour

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