Military History

Harry is listed a being killed in action on 25 Sep 1915, the first day of the Battle of Loos. The 2nd Battalion war diary is entry for that day is transcribed below.

VERQUIN - 24th [Sep 1915]: Companies are served out with picks, shovels, bombs, flags, smoke signals etc. Commanding Officer holds a conference with all Officers at 3pm

VERQUIN - 24th [Sep 1915]: Battalion moves at 10.30am and marches via La Bourse and Sailly arriving at a reserve line of trenches SE of Noyelles at point L.12.c.6.6 about 3am.

Bombardment becomes intense. At about 6am the attack was launched. Battn ordered to advance through Vermelles up communication trench (Chapel Alley) to occupy front line at point G.11.c.9.8. Capt King wounded, 2nd Lt F.H. Friend assumed command of A Coy. Following the advance of the 20th Brigade the battn occupies the front and support German lines.

Lt Ciol B.H. Leadham DSO then gave orders for the Battn to advance in open order in direction of Cite St. Elie keeping to the north of Hulloch Road, our right flank connecting with the 2nd Bedfordshires' left. The Battn advanced in the following order: B Coy of the left Capt W.M Geddes in Command; A Coy on right, 2nd Lt F.H. Friend in command, two platoons of each company leading, two platoons immediately behind. C Coy in support, D Company in reserve. Jaor R.M. Gillson in command of C Company, Capt E.C. Mudge in command of D Coy. The whole were led by Maj C.G. Forsyth and experiencing extremely heavy rifle and machine gun fire from the front came to a line held very weakly by a mixture of 8th Devons and 2nd Borders. The trench contained 4 German Field Guns and ammunition.

Our losses were heavy and included the following officer casualties: Capt Wilson; 2 Lts Hodgkins, Clarke & Durrant were killed. Maj Gillson, 2 Lt Friend wounded, the latter seriously.

At dusk the Battn was relieved by the 9th Devonshire Regt and took up a new front at Breslau Avenue, our right resting on the latter regiment.