Colin Campbell Tyrie (1891-1918)
Gateshead man served with Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in Gallipoli and France
It is known that by 1914 Colin had enlisted in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who, when war was declared in August, were stationed in India. They were recalled and landed at Avonmouth on 10 January 1915 joining the 87th Brigade, 29th Division who were in training at Rugby. In March the Division sailed for Egypt, and then onwards to Gallipoli where they arrived on 25 April 1915.
In December 1915 Private Tyrie was hospitalised with frostbite and treated on the Hospital Ship Britannic. The battalion were evacuated to Egypt in January 1916 and then ordered to the Western Front. Arriving in Marseilles on 18 March, they entrained for northern France where they saw action at the Somme, Arras and Ypres.
On 5 February 1918 the Battalion was transferred to the 109th Brigade, 39th (Ulster) Division and were in action on the Somme and at the Battle of Lys, during the Spring Offensive. Private Colin Campbell Tyrie was taken prisoner and died of blood poisoning and heart failure at a German field hospital in St Quentin. He was initially buried at St Martin’s Military Cemetery at St Quentin and was subsequently re-interred at Saint-Souplet British Cemetery, south east of Cambrai by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Civil Parish: Gateshead
Birth date: 23-May-1891
Death date: 31-May-1918
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 171 Bewick Road, Gateshead (1911 census)
Employment: unemployed clerk (1911 census)
Military service:
Private 14628
1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
(Formerly Border Regiment, 17229)
Medal(s): 1914/14 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Memorial(s): Saint-Souplet British Cemetery, south east of Cambrai, France
Gateshead Roll of Honour, Gateshead Library
Gender: Male
Contributed by Jean Longstaff, Durham
