| Hiram Irwin was listed on Panel One of the World War One memorial in Coagh Orange Hall to those who served.
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| Hiram Irwin was the son of David and Margaret Irwin. David Irwin and Margaret Foster were married on 21st October 1876 in the district of Cookstown.
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| Hiram Irwin was born on 10th August 1883 at Ballymaguire, Stewartstown. He was the fourth of eight children, all born in the Coagh-Stewartstown area.
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| Family: David Irwin, Margaret Irwin, John James Irwin (born about 1879), Prillicent Millie Irwin (born 1st October 1879), Jeanette Jennie Irwin (born 10th September 1881), Hiram Irwin (born 10th August 1883), Uriah Irwin (born about 1887), Adam Irwin (born 8th June 1888), Samuel Irwin (born 10th August 1891), Thomas Irwin (born 9th October 1892).
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| The 1901 census lists Hiram as age 16, living with the family at house 12 in Ballymaguire, Killycolpy. Hiram was still at school. His father was a farmer.
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| Hiram Irwin enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 5th March 1909.
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| The 1911 census lists Hiram as age 26, living with the family at house 1 in Ballymaguire, Killycolpy. They were a farming family.
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| 1914
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| Hiram Irwin called up for active service with the North Irish Horse on 5th August 1914, two days after war was declared.
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| He landed in France with A Squadron on 17th August 1914, seeing action in the retreat from Mons.
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| Back left is Private Jim Marks. Back right is Private Thomas W Collins. Seated is Private Hiram Irwin. All three served with the North Irish Horse. All three survived the war. Photo courtesy of Dessie Gordon.
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| In early 1915, Trooper Irwin, along with about 150 other members of the North Irish Horse, were given the task of acting as bodyguard to Sir John French.
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| 1915
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| In August 1915 Trooper Irwin was home on furlough.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 14th August 1915: On Commander-in-Chief’s Bodyguard
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| Trooper Hiram Irwin, North Irish Horse, whose mother resides at Ballymaguire, has been home on furlough for a few days, returning t the front on Saturday last. He has been on the North Irish Horse for almost four years and was called up for active service on 5th August 1914, two days after war was declared. He landed in France on 17th August. He says the cavalry, as such, are found of little or no service in the present war. A number of men are detailed to look after the horses and the others take their turns in the trenches with the infantry. His worst experiences were in the retreat from Mons, were as he says, he ‘saw some rough work’. The Germans were ten to one and with superior equipment, and in his opinion and that of all serious men (?) who took part, the escape of the British was by the guidance of God. The cruelties of the Huns and the dread of the civil population came under his observation. The inhabitants of the towns were almost wild with joy when the British troops entered, but only to be replaced by the wildest grief when perhaps, but a brief time later, they were ordered to retire further. The frantic efforts of mothers to escape with their children were heart-rending to witness; of the scenes in towns out of which the Germans had been driven he did not care to speak.
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| For the past six months he has, with about 150 other members of the North Irish Horse, been acting as bodyguard to Sir John French. There is always an element of subdued excitement about the headquarters with stealthy comings and goings, but of what is happening in the firing line, the troopers know little or nothing. The enemy are strongly entrenched in dugouts, lined with re-enforced concrete, and the general opinion is that to drive them out would be a most desperate undertaking. When one of their elaborate trenches have been rendered untenable by sap and mine grenade, or other bomb attacks, they have only to retire for one hundred yards or so to take up another and equally strongly prepared position. The tactics seem to be attrition and Trooper Irwin believes that while it may take time that success is certain for the Allies.
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| His immediate chums a the front are Troopers Wesley McClelland, son of Mr Sloan McClelland, the White House, Cookstown, Jim Marks, Drumads, Albert James McKenna, Tullyhogue, and William Cunningham, Coagh, and they are all in good health and spirits when Trooper Irwin left France at the end of July.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 16th October 1915:
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| Trooper James B Marks, of the North Irish Horse, has just paid a visit to his parents who reside in Drumads, Coagh. Jim, who was well known in Coagh and district, was called up for active service at the beginning of hostilities, and is only once home on leave since then. He was looking fit and well, and although taking part in many engagements, including the retreat from Mons, he has so far escaped uninjured. He has been serving with the bodyguard of Sir John French, and amongst some of the local soldiers with he was acquainted with in France he mentioned Troopers Wesley McClelland, Cookstown, and Hiram Irwin, Drapersfield. During his short stay at home he has numerous visitors, to all of which he spoke well of his treatment both in France and Belgium, but of any other experiences at the front, he didn’t care to say anything, except that he had been fortunate in escaping so far. Trooper Marks has now returned to his unit in France again, leaving Coagh on Wednesday.
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| 1916
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| In February 1916, Trooper Irwin wrote to the Mid Ulster Mail in response to a fellow North Irish Horse soldier criticising A Squadron.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 5th February 1916: North Irish Horse – ‘A’ Squadron Replies
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| ‘Dear sir, I have just noticed a letter from a comrades in ‘C’ Squadron of this regiment, in which he takes the doubtful pleasure of informing those of whom it is of interest, that the squadron to which he belongs (C Squadron) ought not to be confounded with A Squadron or any other cavalry attached to what seemingly is, in his opinion, odious General Headquarters. He perhaps doesn’t recognise the fact that the first duty of a soldier is to obey orders; unquestionably he does not have the power to choose. I can scarcely realise that he is so little minded in that he attempts to cast a slur on a squadron of his own regiment; but if he does, for his information I would have him to understand that A Squadron was engaged in fighting until the time when the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in France conferred on it the coveted honour of selecting it alone, from the army at his supreme disposal, to act as his personal bodyguard. On his departure from this country he gave the squadron unstinted praise for the manner in which it fought successfully, in the most trying of circumstances, also for the capable and efficient manner in which it discharged its onerous and responsible duties as bodyguard.
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| Should the information gratify him, the squadron is now acting as Divisional Cavalry, in which capacity, in the humble opinion of the writer, it can carry on quite as well, if not even with greater honour, than that already attained by C Squadron.
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| Signed on behalf of the Cookstown boys serving with A Squadron, North Irish Horse, H Irwin. A Squadron North Irish Horse, France, 30th January 1916.’
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| In September 1916 he wrote a letter of thanks for cigarettes he had received.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 9th September 1916: Thanks for the Smokes
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| H Irwin, North Irish Horse, son of Mr H Irwin, Edernagh, Stewartstown, writes:-
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| ‘Dear Mr Ferguson, words cannot express my sincere thanks to you and your kindness in sending me such a useful parcel of cigs. All the boys from around our part are here, so we have a fine smoke. The weather here is rather damp – wouldn’t be good for harvesting. All the boys join in sending their very best thanks.’
‘Dear Mr Ferguson, words cannot express my sincere thanks to you and your kindness in sending me such a useful parcel of cigs. All the boys from around our part are here, so we have a fine smoke. The weather here is rather damp – wouldn’t be good for harvesting. All the boys join in sending their very best thanks.’
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| Trooper Irwin later transferred to the Corps of Hussars (No.71018), probably when the North Irish Horse was disbanded near the conclusion of the war.
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| Post War
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| On 11th February 1919 Irwin was discharged from the army, being surplus to military requirements having suffered impairment since entry into the service.
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| Gunner Hiram Irwin is listed on Ardtrea Church of Ireland’s World War One Roll of Honour as having served in the war.
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| After the war he returned to farming. In 1956 while living at Edernagh, Ardtrea, County Tyrone, he fell ill. He died at South Tyrone Hospital, Dungannon, on 18 August 1956.
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