Military History

Harold is listed as being killed in action on 30 Mar 1918. The war diary entry for that day shows that Harold was one of two men killed during the night of the 29th/30th in the trench line called Maroevil Street and is transcribed below.

In the Line - 30.3.18: Another cold boisterous day, with driving rain. Our guns opened up a counter-preparation shoot at 4.30am. The threatened Hun attack did not materialise this morning. We had two men killed and five wounded during the night, the later including Sergt. Teasdale of C Company.

An examination by daylight of our new Battalion Headquarters reveals that it is a wonderful place. The dugout is very deep and was evidently used as a church and canteen. Our Mess is called The Rectory and was evidently the abode of the Chaplain. The occupants must have left in a great hurry when the Hun made his attempted push, for the amount and variety of salvage is simply incredible: cigarettes, soap and boot polish we have in profusion.

At the Y.M.C.A there is a variety of edible for the lifting. A piano, somewhat out of tune, it is true, graces the dugout. There is also an expensive electrical lighting system installed. All our men are fitted out with new clothes. The officers messes left behind their book libraries and mess equipment, not least the curious book found in the area is "Williams on the Law and real property". At various gun positions there are large quantaties of rations, rifles and ammunition.Certainly the salvaging has been better than anywhere we have driven the Hun out of. Needless to say the fame of the place spread rapidly and representatives of the companies were around getting there share.

The C.O. was round the line in the afternoonand altered our dispositions somewhat. Brig-General ODLUM and the Brigade Major called on us during the afternoon. The 54th took over from us to-day the stretch of trench between Tommy and Ouze Alleys. This allows the Battalion to take over its proper front. The day was fairly quiet very little heavy shelling being done. Owing to B Company being taken from the front line C Company has had to extend its boundary to Tommy Alley. Rations got up at night without hitch. END