Porter, Joseph
Rifleman
No. 9/15785, 9th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Died of wounds on Monday 27 December 1915 (aged 19)
Buried:
Miraumont Communal Cemetery, France (Grave B 5)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
BIOGRAPHY
In the Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 – 1919 database it is recorded that Joseph Porter was born in Newtownards. He was born on 14 March 1896 in the townland of Greengraves and he was the eldest son of James and Mary Porter (nee McKee, sometimes Magee).
The Porter family lived in the townland of Carrowreagh, Dundonald.
James Porter worked as an agricultural labourer and he and Mary had at least six children:
Ellen Jane (born around 1893/1894)
Joseph (born 14 March 1896 in Greengraves)
Sarah (born 28 May 1898 in Ballyalton; died of pulmonary congestion 21 November 1902 in Carrowreagh)
Mary (born 13 February 1901 in Dunlady)
James (born 20 September 1904 in Carrowreagh)
William (born 12 April 1910 in Ballybeen)
The three youngest were baptised in Dundonald Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Elizabeth).
Prior to the outbreak of the Great War Joseph Porter worked as a pawnbroker’s assistant, he enlisted in Belfast and served with the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 107th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division. In the Press, it was reported that he died of wounds on 27 November 1915 while he was being held as a Prisoner-of-War.
Rifleman Joseph Porter was 19 when he died on 27 December 1915 and he was buried in Miraumont Communal Cemetery in France.