South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


2nd Lieutenant Richard George HART - 10th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment


Killed in Action on Sunday, July 30th 1916 aged 24

rg hart


Military History

     
Theatre of War Medals Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France and Flanders British War & Victory Medals London Cemetery and Extension
     
Arrived in Theatre Medal Citation (if app) SWFHS Area Memorials
13 Apr 1916 in France ~ Warwick (Eleanor Cross) War Memorial
    Warwick School
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed Date and Place Enlisted  
Battle of Delville Wood (Somme)  22 Sep 1914 (Gazette)  
     
Place of Death Previous Regiments or Units Other War Memorials
Le Petit Bazentine  3rd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Merton College
  Cpl - Public Schools Battn, Royal Fusiliers  

Commission

Commissioned as 2nd Lt on 20 Dec 1915 from Officer Training Corps (Gazette)

Circumstances of Death

Richard is listed as being killed in action on 30 Jul 1916 during the Battle of the Somme at Delville Wood. The war diary for the day is transcribed below:
 
Trenches - 30-7-16 - Sunday:

During the night of 29th/30th a patrol went out to ascertain the amount of wire the enemy had in front of his line. The patrol returned safely and reported that the wire was well cut.

Zero hour was fixed for 6.10pm and there was to be an intense bombardment for one minute at 6:09pm as a matter of fact there was heavy shelling by both sides for quite one hour before the assault which rather upset things.

At one minute to zero the Coys, who were now all in the front line, crept out under the barrage, B&C making the first line A&D Coys the 2nd line. A, B and C Coys reached their objectives D Coy were stopped halfway by heavy M.G. Fire and lack of officers (casualties). Nevertheless they were led up into the line later.

Meanwhile urgent messages came down to Batt HQ for reinforcements and more munitions. The H.Q Coy was then sent out to support and the Coys began consolidating. About 20 prisoners were taken and a machine gun, the majority of the prisoners being killed by their own shell fire together with their escort on the way back.

The S.W. Borderers then went up and the communication trench was dug back to our original line. The Batt got into touch with the Kings Own Regt on the right but had no one on our left as the 10th Worcesters had failed. We were in fact the only Batt in the Bde who had gained their objectives. The shelling all through was very severe. END



 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/Place Baptism Date/Place
29 Dec 1892 at East London, South Africa  
   
Parents Names Abode
Frank Eden and Amy Hart 205 Uchi Street, North Kana, Northern Rhodesia 
   
Schools Colleges
Warwick School Merton College, Oxford (Rhodes Scholar)
   
Address History Employment History
1892 - Cape Colony, South Africa 1901 - Scholar
1901 - 120 Sherbourne Road, Balsall Heath 1911 - Scholar at Warwick School
1911 - Warwick School, Warwick (Boarder) 1914 - Student at Merton College
1914 - 130 Sherbourne Road, Balsall Heath