211820 Rifleman Hugh Rock British Army 11th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles from:Ballymoney, Co. Antrim (d.8th June 1917) Hugh Rock was the postman at Cloughmills, and on enlisting, his sister agreed to take over his round until his return, a tough job for a young girl. In those days delivering the mail was done on foot, in all weathers, without even a bicycle. Possibly because of his peacetime employment, Hugh was often given the duty of being a runner, tasked with hand-delivering dispatches from trench to trench when other forms of communication failed. It was an extremely dangerous and hazardous task, constantly under the threat of snipers and enemy fire. In early June 1917 Hugh was given permission to take leave. A week before he was expected home, word reached his family that Hugh had been shot while delivering dispatches in the lead up to the Battle of Messines. He is buried at the Spanbroekmolen British Cemetery.
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