Remembering Sergeant David McQuitty 12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles

NAME; McQuitty, David

RANK; Sergeant

SERV. NO; 1626

UNIT/SERVICE; 12^th Battalion

REGIMENT; Royal Irish Rifles

BORN; Carrickfergus

LIVED; Schomberg Street, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED; Belfast, September 1915

FATE; Died of Wounds, France, August 17^th 1917

CEMETERY; Brandhokek New Military Cemetery No.3 (Belgium) - II. J. 20

CHURCH; St Nicholas, COI, Carrickfergus

MEMORIAL; St Nicholas, COI, Carrickfergus

REMARKS; David was the husband of Sabina McQuitty and father of Madge, Emma and David.  Prior to enlisting David lived and the family lived in 5 Schomberg Street, Carrickfergus. He was a member of Woodburn LOL 787 and a member of the Central Antrim UVF.  He enlisted with the 12^th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in September 1915 and was a veteran of the Somme and much of the fighting on the Western Front.  He was severely wounded in fighting around Ypres during the Battle of Langemarck and died of his wounds on 17^th August 1917 in the 3^rd Australian Clearance Station in France.

The following words were submitted by his wife and children on news of his death:

                                “Duty called and he was there

                                To do his bit and take his share;

                                His heart was good, his spirit brave,

                                His resting place, a soldiers grave.

                                Short was thy life, O Davie, dear,

                                But peaceful by thy rest;

                                We will miss you most of all,

                                Because we loved you best.

                                We did not know what pain he bore;

                                We did not see him die;

                                We only know he passed away

                                From wounds received that day.

                                Father, in Thy heavenly keeping,

                                We leave our solider daddy sleeping.

The following poem was submitted to the Carrickfergus Advertiser by this father and mother in-law on the news of his death;

                                How little we thought when we said good-bye,

                                That it would be the last parting between you and us,

                                We loved you in life, in death you are dear to us still,

                                But in grief we must bend to God’s holy will.

                                While alone in our sorrows, and bitter tears flow

                                There stealeth a dream of sweet long ago,

                                Unknown to the world, He stands by our sides,

                                And whispers these words, ‘Death cannot divide’.