Herbert Rochfort McCullagh

Born in 1881 in Bishop Auckland, his father was the Medical Officer of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion DLI. During the Boer War, he served as a Trooper in the Northumberland Hussars before being commissioned as a Lieutenant in 1901 in the Imperial Yeomanry. He fought in several actions in South Africa and was Mentioned in Despatches in July 1902. In 1904, he was commissioned as a Regular Officer in the DLI and served with the 1st Battalion in India until 1916. He then moved to the Western Front, serving as a Major, later Lieutenant Colonel, with a number of battalions including the 8th Bedfords and 19 DLI and was awarded the DSO in January 1919. After the war, he rejoined 2 DLI until posted to 1 DLI in Alexandria in Egypt in 1927. In 1928, Lieutenant Colonel McCullagh took command of the DLI's Depot at Fenham Barracks in Newcastle, until he retired in 1931. He then served as a Territorial Officer for a few years with the 6th Battalion DLI before finally retiring in 1934. Herbert McCullagh died at his home in Romaldkirk, County Durham, in 1957.