Harry is listed as dying of his wounds on 2 Feb 1916. Newspaper reports and the Field Ambulance War diary show that Harry was wounded in the head by shrapnel from a bursting shell on January 24th 1916 on the Poperinghe Road near to Reninchelst, he was taken to Boulonge General Hospital where he died a week later on February 2nd. The Newspaper report and war diary entry are both transcribed below.
War Diary Entry
Reninchelst - Jan 24 1916: While the motor ambulances were proceeding to the Advanced Dressing Station at Bedford House [see map tab] & taking the weekly relief of stretcher bearers, heavy shell fire was begun over the Poperinghe - Ypres Road. One of the cars in the convoy was hit & the following men were wounded:
No 58843 Pte Atkinson, A; No 58378 Pte Ball H.V; No 58251 Pte Oakey L.T and No 053708 Pte Doughty W A.S.C (MT attached). Pte Doughty died of wounds in No 10 Casualty Clearing Station. END
Newspaper Report
Mrs H.V Ball, 47 Victoria Street, Warwick has received letters from Colonel C.E. Harrison, 23rd General Hospital, Etaples; Sergeant Major C.W. Tilling 142nd Field Ambulance and Private A Atkinson R.A.M.C, 23rd General Hospital referring to the death of her husband Pte. H.V. Ball, R.A.M.C which we recorded in our last issue.
Colonel Harrison says that Private Ball's death "has caused us sincere regret. He was buried on February 3rd in the pretty little military cemetery near the 23rd General Hospital and two beautiful wreaths were placed on the coffin from the comrades of his corps.
Sergeant Major Tilling says that Pte. Ball was one of the best men and was very much liked by every man in the ambulance.
Pte Atkinson says in his letter that Mr. Ball was wounded in the head by a piece of shell on January 24th and afterwards received every possible attention. He passed away during the night of January 31st-February 1st. During the time he was in the hospital Mr. Ball appeared to be very cheerful and bright. The letter describes the circumstances under which Pte Ball was wounded "Mr. Ball and a party of stretcher-bearers, including myself, were proceeding in a motor ambulance to one of our dressing stations near the trenches [see next tab] on the road between Vlammertinghe and Ypres when a shell burst over the car wounding several of us. The driver [Pte. Doughty] was hit and died soon afterwards. Mr Ball was hit in the head and sustained wounds in his side and lungs, and I received a wound in the right side".
Private Atkinson adds that 70 R.A.M.C men were at the funeral and the coffin was covered with a Union Jack. He says that in the near future a cross bearing Mr. Balls name and number of the Regiment will be erected at the head of the grave.
