Cree, Henry Greer
Rifleman
No. 10011, 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Monday 26 October 1914 (aged 20)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Le Touret Memorial, France (Panel 42 and 43)
Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour
BIOGRAPHY
Henry Greer Cree was born on 17 April 1894 in West Street, Bangor and he was a son of Henry and Hannah Jane Cree (nee McQuoid, sometimes McQuaid) who were married on 4 November 1889 in St Anne’s Church of Ireland Church Belfast. Henry Cree (aged 22), a bricklayer from 62 Hartley Street, Belfast was a son of Hugh Cree, a labourer. Hannah Jane McQuoid (aged 21) from 171 Sandy Row, Belfast was a daughter of Robert McQuoid, a labourer.
The Cree family lived at 16 Holborn Street, Bangor.
Henry Cree worked as a bricklayer and he and Hannah Jane had at least eleven children:
Henrietta (born 9 September 1890 in West Street, Bangor; died of measles 21 January 1891)
Robert Hugh (born 5 May 1892 in West Street, Bangor)
Henry Greer (born 17 April 1894 in West Street, Bangor)
Ruby (born 29 October 1896 in West Street, Bangor; died of meningitis 7 March 1900)
Margaretta (born 11 March 1899 in West Street, Bangor)
Walter Osborne (born 22 March 1901 at 16 Holborn Street, Bangor)
Reuben Norman Frederick (born 13 February 1903 in Holborn Street, Bangor)
Cleland (born 16 February 1905)
William (born around 1906/1907)
Ellen Abigail (born 11 December 1908 at 35 Tower Street, Belfast)
Unnamed female child (born prematurely 18 June 1911 in hospital at 51 Lisburn Road, Belfast; died 19 June 1911)
At least five of the children (including Henry Greer Cree) were baptised in Bangor Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Comgall’s).
In the 1900s the Cree family moved from Bangor to Belfast where they lived at 52 Chadolly Street.
Henry Greer Cree worked as a labourer before he joined the Army and he served with the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. Rifleman Cree (No. 10011) was 20 when he was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle on 26 October 1914 and he has no known grave. His sole legatee was his mother.
Rifleman Cree (No. 10011) is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial in France and in the Belfast Book of Honour (Page 128).