Dorrian, John
Rifleman
No. 17582, ‘B’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Saturday 1 July 1916 (aged 18)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Thiepval Memorial, France (Pier and Face 15 A and 15 B)
Newtownards and District War Memorial
BIOGRAPHY
In some records his surname is spelt Dorian and in others Dorean.
John Dorrian was born on 11 December 1897 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards and he was a son of Samuel George Dorrian and Sarah Dorrian (nee McCully, sometimes McCulley) who were married on 23 February 1884 in Newtownards Registrar’s Office. Samuel George Dorrian from Loughriscouse was a son of James Dorrian, a labourer. Sarah McCully from Ballywatticock was a daughter of John McCully, a blacksmith.
The Dorrian family lived in Greenwell Street, Newtownards.
Samuel George Dorrian worked as a general labourer and he and Sarah had at least five children:
Robert (born 12 January 1886 in Ballywatticock; died of diphtheria 1 October 1890 aged 4)
George (born around 1889/1890)
Robert (born 30 January 1892 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
James (born 24 February 1895 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
John (born 11 December 1897 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
Prior to the outbreak of the Great War John Dorrian worked as a factory clerk and he enlisted in Newtownards. He served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division and he was 18 when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Initially he was posted as missing in action and in June 1917 it was officially reported that he must be presumed to have been killed on 1 July 1916. He has no known grave.
Rifleman John Dorrian (No. 17582) is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France and on Newtownards and District War Memorial.