McBride, Samuel
Private
No. 4203425, 3rd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment
Killed in action on Thursday 3 August 1944 (aged 30)
Buried:
St. Charles de Percy War Cemetery, Calvados, France (Grave VII. B. 13)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Newtownards and District War Memorial
BIOGRAPHY
Samuel McBride was born on 26 January 1914 in Mill Street, Newtownards and he was the youngest son of James and the late Jane McBride (nee Wallace) who were married on 2 November 1900 in Second Newtownards Presbyterian Church. James McBride from Newtownards was a son of Hugh McBride, a labourer. Jane Wallace from Newtownards was a daughter of Robert Wallace, a sexton.
James and Jane McBride (nee Wallace) had at least six children:
Elizabeth (born 9 May 1901 in Mary Street, Newtownards)
Robert (born 7 September 1902 in Mary Street, Newtownards)
James (born 9 January 1905 in Upper Mary Street, Newtownards)
Sarah (born 26 May 1907 in Mary Street, Newtownards)
William Hugh (born 23 September 1909 in Mary Street, Newtownards)
Samuel (born 26 January 1914 in Mill Street, Newtownards)
Like his father James, Samuel McBride was a laundry worker and he moved to England. He was living at 371 Manchester Road, Heaton Chapel, Stockport when he and Sarah (Sadie) Bennett (aged 20), from 106 Mill Street, Newtownards, were married on 27 March 1937 in Second Newtownards Presbyterian Church. Sadie was a daughter of Hamilton and Elizabeth Bennett (nee Rutherford). Sadie’s father worked as a labourer and two of Sadie’s cousins, Corporal Edward Bennett (No. 18/578), and Private Hamilton Bennett (No. 104993), were killed in action during the First World War.
Samuel McBride joined the Army in 1940, went to France ‘on or shortly after D-Day’ and on 3 August 1944 he was reported missing in action during heavy fighting centred on Bas Perier Ridge as Allied Forces fought to break out of the Caen bridgehead. In May 1945 it was officially confirmed that he must be presumed dead. There were Killed in Action notices in the 19 May 1945 edition of the Newtownards Chronicle from his father and two sisters at 23 Mary Street, Newtownards; his wife Sadie and daughter Jean in Stockport; his brother and sister-in-law Bob and Lily in Manchester; his brother and sister-in-law Hugh and Madge at 32 Greenwell Street, Newtownards and also from RBP No. 290 in Newtownards to which his father and brother Hugh belonged. There was an Our Heroes – In Memoriam notice in the 4 August 1945 edition of the Newtownards Chronicle from his wife and daughter at 106 Mill Street, Newtownards; his father, sisters and brothers and his parents-in-law, Hamilton and Elizabeth Bennett and family.
Private Samuel McBride (No. 4203425) was 30 when he died, and he is commemorated on Newtownards and District War Memorial.