Harby Family Brothers in the War
Four brothers fought but only one got to live in Bottesford
By Bill Pinfold
The fighting in France meant that 1917 was a tragic year for Nellie Bullock.
The year opened with her brother Edward Harby convalescing in hospital having had his leg removed late in 1916 after his dugout was shelled in Ypres. Edward had emigrated to Canada in 1910 as part of the drive to lure young farm workers over to help develop that country. At the outbreak of war he signed up with the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and sailed back to England in 1915 and on to France in 1916.
Teddy Harby (L) lost a leg at Ypres. He is seen here recuperating at Ramsgate in 1917.
Pinfold family collection
He transferred to the 3rd Canadian Pioneers fighting in Flanders. His leg was injured by shrapnel in August 1916 and after some time the onset of septicaemia meant his leg had to be amputated just below the knee. After treatment in Reading Hospital and recuperation in Ramsgate he moved back to Saskatchewan where, unfit for farm work, he became an insurance agent.
Teddy was repatriated to Canada on Hospital Ship SS Letitia and would have arrived in a scene like this.
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He shipped home in May 1917, luckily not on the following journey when the Letitia ran aground on the Canadian coast
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Whilst Edward did not live in Bottesford one can speculate that he did visit his family there and it is interesting to compare his tale of survival with that of the Bottesford lads who moved to Canada, joined the CEF but did not survive the war.
Edward's elder brothers Harry (A.S.C. 1915-18) and Charles (2/4 Lincolnshires 1914-18) also fought and fortunately survived, Harry returning to Bottesford as a GNR platelayer and Charles becoming a farmer in Metheringham.
Less fortunate was Nellie’s brother William Harby. William had joined the 1st 4th Lincolnshire Regiment in 1915, signing up as Private 5965 at a recruiting station in Bourne. At some point the regiment was merged into the West Yorkshires (Prince of Wales Own) so William became one of the Leeds Pals, the 15th battalion. The regiment fought several battles through 1916 and by May 1917 were opposing the German trenches of the Hindenburg line near Arras.
William Harby fought with the 15th West Yorks Regt at Gavrelle near Arras
The battalion, known as the Leeds Pals, attacked due east from Gavrelle on 3rd May 1917. British trenches blue, German red.
Early on the morning of 3 May the 15 W Yorks launched an attack on Windmill trench near Gavrelle and Oppy Wood. Of the 547 men who started the attack, some 157 were fatalities, cut down by machine guns, 120 were missing and 120 were wounded. William was one of those who failed to return.
William was one of 200 men who died under withering m/c gun fire as they attacked Windmill trench
William is buried at the Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery at Souchez, grave XV.K.23, and is listed on the memorial at Londonthorpe church near Grantham. His parents Henry and Mary had moved in to Londonthorpe from Pickworth ahead of the war.
William Harby is buried at Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez
Again one can speculate that William was a visitor to Bottesford before the war though he did not live there himself. But news of his death closely followed by the death of John Bullock will have brought intense sadness to the families in Muston and Bottesford.
Post Script
Whilst in Canada Edward met and married Emily Wolstenholme who was originally from Barleythorpe near Oakham in Rutland and had emigrated with her mother some time between 1911 and 1916. Having experienced the horrors of war himself Edward was swift to telegram back to the family in England when the Blitz started in World War 2, offering to give his nephews and nieces a home if they wanted to escape the bombing.