Kilbride Parish Church War Memorial

George Ayer

Date of Birth –  c.1889

Place of Birth – Unknown

Date of enlistment – Prior to outbreak of World War 1

Address at time of enlistment – Belfast

Next of Kin – Unknown

Address of next of kin – Unknown

Trade or Calling – Serving soldier

Service No. 7988

Unit – 2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

Rank – Corporal

Died – 26th August 1914, just three weeks after war was declared.  His battalion had arrived in France on 23rd August and was attached to the 4th Division.

Place of Death – Esnes, Battle of Le Cateau, north-eastern France

Age at Death – 25

Buried – No known grave

Commemorations –  La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial, France, Ballyclare War Memorial, Kilbride Parish Church, Book of Remembrance in the Regimental Chapel in St Macartin's Cathedral, Enniskillen and St Nicholas Church Temperance LOL 782 Orange Hall, Sandy Row, Belfast.  St Nicholas' church is located on the Lisburn Road in Belfast.

Medal Entitlement - 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal

Marital status – Unknown

 

Cutting from the Belfast News Letter31 August 1914.Courtesy of History Hub Ulster

Cutting from the Belfast News Letter

31 August 1914.

Courtesy of History Hub Ulster

 The Regimental Crest of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

 The Regimental Crest of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

Records Available

The National Archives

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Medal card available

Census Records

1911 Census – Army in Aldershot, Hampshire, England

Ulster Covenant - George Ayer

George Ayer signed the Ulster Covenant in opposition to Home Rule on 28th September, 1912 in St Thomas' Parochial Hall, Belfast.  His address was given as 22 Lisburn Avenue, Belfast.

 

History Hub Ulster - a short description of the Battle of Le Cateau

 

Great War Belfast Clippings

This website lists the names of servicemen whose pictures appeared in the Belfast Evening Telegraph during the Great War period.

https://sites.google.com/site/greatwarbelfast/home/service-personnel-pictures-list-a-l

Ayer, George, Corporal, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 22 Lisburn Avenue, Belfast, Died, August 1914

 

Notes

Corporal George Ayer was a member of St. Nicholas Church Temperance L.O.L. 782.  This lodge was originally associated with St Nicholas' church on the Lisburn Road, Belfast, but is now based on the Sandy Row Belfast.  He was also a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force.