Reid, John
Lance Corporal
No. 18677, ‘A’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, then
11th/13th Battalion, then 22nd Entrenching Battalion
Killed in action on Thursday 28 March 1918 (aged 23)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Pozieres Memorial, France (Panel 74 to 76)
Holywood and District War Memorial
Holywood Orange Lodges Memorial Plaque
Holywood Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Philip & St James)
Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour
BIOGRAPHY
John Reid was born on 23 June 1895 in Ballymaghan, Belfast and he was the eldest son of George and Anne Jane Reid (nee Berry, sometimes Barry) who were married on 28 February 1894 in St Anne’s Church of Ireland Church Belfast. George Reid (aged 20) from 109 Brittanic Street, Belfast was a son of John Reid, a farmer. Anne Jane Berry (aged 23) from Woodpark, Killylea, Co Armagh was a daughter of Joseph Berry, a farmer.
The Reid family lived in Holywood Road, Victoria, Belfast then Knocknagoney and then at 103 Dee Street, Belfast.
George Reid worked as a garden labourer and he and Ann Jane had at least ten children:
John (born 23 June 1895 in Ballymaghan)
William Joseph (born 25 August 1896)
Robert George (born 6 September 1898 in Richmond Cottages, Ballymaghan)
David (born 24 September 1901)
James (born 14 February 1904)
Albert (born 13 January 1906)
Letitia (born 20 November 1907)
Isaac (born 14 February 1910)
Sarah (born 23 July 1914)
Edward McLean (born 10 May 1917 while his father, George, who was serving as a Rifleman with the 20th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, was stationed in Newtownards Camp)
Prior to the outbreak of the Great War, John Reid worked as a grocer’s assistant. He enlisted in Holywood and served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division.
In November 1917, the 11th and 13th Battalions were amalgamated and, when they were disbanded in February 1918, he was posted to the 22nd Entrenching Battalion.
Lance Corporal John Reid (No. 18677) was 23 when he was killed in action on 28 March 1918 and he has no known grave.
Lance Corporal John Reid (No. 18677) is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial in France; on Holywood and District War Memorial; on the Holywood Orange Lodges Memorial Plaque; in Holywood Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Philip & St James) and in the Belfast Book of Honour (Page 550).