Name

John Orr.

Description

Rifleman John Orr.

Life Story

Name: John Orr.

Service Number: 774.

Rank: Rifleman.

Battalion: 12th Battalion.

Regiment: Royal Irish Rifles.

Born: 18th March 1883, Newtownards, County Down.

Died: 22nd November 1917.

Address: Ballywhiskin, Millisle, County Down

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John Orr, husband of Margaret Jane Orr, son of John and Mary Orr, grandson of Nicholas and Elizabeth Orr, is connected to 5 Crimea Street, Shankill Road, Belfast

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John had married Margaret Jane Orr, Nee McClean on the 9th December 1910 in a Parish Church of Ireland Church in Newtownards, County Down.

They went one to have three children whose names and dates of birth are the following, Francis born 26th November 1913, John Andrew born 29th September 1915, George born 22nd March 1917

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John joined the Royal Irish Rifles.

He was posted as part of the British Expeditionary Force to France.

John was a Rifleman within 12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles when he was Killed In Action on the 22nd November 1917 aged 34 years

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A local newspaper states.

BALLYWHISKEN RIFLEMAN KILLED.

Official intimation has been received by Mr Margaret Jane Orr, Ballywhisken, that her husband, Rifleman John Orr, Royal Irish Rifles (Ulster Division), was killed in action on 22nd November 1917. Deceased's brother, Andrew, fell with the Canadians, and he had two other brothers serving with the Canadians , and another brother and a step-son are serving with the Grand Fleet, while a brother in-law is serving with the 9th Royal Scots, and another brother in-law is with the Army Service Corps. This is a record of which the Orr family has every reason to feel proud

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The Orr family are wrote about in greater depth within the Barry Niblock Great War Memorial Book, The War Dead of North Down and Ards

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This family lost five members, with John losing his brother Andrew, while also losing his uncles Francis, Nicholas and Hugh.

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John Orr - K.I.A

Andrew Orr - Brother K.I.A.

Hugh Orr - Uncle K.I.A.

Francis Orr - Uncle K.I.A.

Nicholas Orr - Uncle K.I.A.

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Others within the Orr Family that Served included

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Hugh Orr Served Royal Navy Brother.

Nicholas Orr Served 86th Mackey Gun Battalion Brother.

Francis Orr Served Canadian Expeditionary Force Brother.

Robert Orr D.C.M Served Royal Scots Uncle.

James Orr Served Scottish Regiment Uncle

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Johns Soldiers Effects were left to his wife.

A Pension Application Form shows his wife as claimant.

His Dependant Pension Application Form shows his wife Margaret Jane as claimant for herself and three children

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See brother also: 55918 Rifleman Andrew Orr 15th Battalion C.E.F.

See brother also: 174360 Private Nicholas Orr 86th Machine Gun Battalion C.E.F.

See brother also: S.S 107946 Stoker 1 Hugh Orr Royal Navy.

See brother also: 757998 Private Francis Orr 19th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force.

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See Uncle also: 8298 Rifleman Frank Orr 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.

See Uncle also: 741 Rifleman Nicholas Orr 15th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.

See Uncle also: 9285 Private Hugh Orr 2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry.

See Uncle also: 15223 Company Sergeant Major Robert Orr 13th Battalion The Royal Scots.

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John received the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

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He is Remembered at Cambrai Memorial Louverval, France.

To Remember Is To Honour

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Footnote.

Although five of the Orr family were not born or grew up on the Shankill Road, and the connection is simply that their grandparents lived within it, S.A.S.H believe that it is only right to keep this family and their sacrifice together, and do so to show the depth of Loyalty, Devotion and Commitment that this family, and many many more, had to their King and Country at this time

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The saying All Gave Some, Some Gave All, relates to many families within Ireland at that time, and therefore it is appropriate for this family to be highlighted and kept as one.

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