George Reid was born in 1887 at Eshnadarragh, Brookeborough, the youngest son of John and Mary Reid.  He enlisted in the 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and sailed with his battalion to China in 1909 on the troopship HMT Soudan.  In 1913 his battalion went to India.

 

In January 1915, the battalion returned to England before sailing to Egypt en route to the Dardanelles in Turkey by which stage George had been promoted to sergeant.  George was wounded on 3rd August 1915 and returned to duty on 25th August.  On 20th September 1915, George was promoted to the rank of acting company quartermaster sergeant.

 

In January 1916, the battalion was evacuated from Gallipoli to Egypt and on 18th March it landed in France.  George was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.  His body was never recovered.

Sarah Coalter