| Rank | Private (MM) |
| Service # | 477040 |
| Unit # | R.C.R. |
| 24th Reg. | Yes |
| Resident | Chatham |
(MM). RCR. Regimental number: 477040 Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 439 – 45
Date of Birth 18/10/1895 at Winford, Chesford, England. N of K: Miss J. Barlow, (sister) of Woodlands, Hartford, Cheshire, England.
Reported living in Chatham. Member of 24th Kent Regt. in Chatham, ON.Occupation clerk/farmer. Attestation: 25/08/1915 at Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Harry appears on the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) nominal roll for Bermuda 19/11/1914. His service number for the RCR was 16006, his attestation with the RCR in Bermuda 10/11/14. He was examined at Prosect , Bermuda, age 19 years 5’ 7”. Harry would reattest for overseas service at Halifax.
He arrived in Bermuda with the RCR on 14/09/14 with the draft from Canada to reinforce the garrison there.
In August 1915 the RCR was relieved in Bermuda by the 38th Canadian Infantry Battalion. On the following day the RCR boarded the S. S. Caledonian and sailed for Halifax. On the 26 August the RCR left Halifax for Plymouth, arriving there on 6/09/15.
On the 1st of November, 1915 the RCR disembarked at Boulogne after a rough Channel crossing many of the men were sea-sick. Moving forward over the next the would finally join the 7th Brigade of the newly forming 3rd Canadian Division.
The RCR went into ‘Corps Reserve’ on 19 November, employed as working parties into December during which the Regiment suffered it’s first casualties.
Harry would be mentioned in the Regiment’s history during actions at Mount Sorrell “Throughout the engagement up to this time, the work of the non-commissioned officers of the Regiment had been of the highest order. In reporting upon their efforts later, officers found difficulty in choosing those deserving of special mention, but a number deserving special mention, but a number carried out of their duties in a manner so outstanding that mention of their names was inevitable ….. “L/Cpl. P. Ball and L/Cpl. H. J. Barlow, who again and again repaired broken telegraphone wire, ignoring danger;” Harry would later receive the Military Medal [gazette in the London Gazette Issue 29719 – 22 August, 1916].
The Citation is as follows:
“When communications from the Culvert to the Cellars was broken by very heavy shell fire, he went out on the line for three timed in succession under fire and repaired the line, finally desisting when the wires were cut in very small pieces. On the night of 2/3rd July 1916, he gathered in all the small pieces he could find, joined them together and went out under fire and laid a new line. This was also cut shortly after and from then on he acted as a runner carrying messages from the Culvert to the front on the right”.
Harry was promoted to Corporal on 30/04/1917.
In November Harry transferred to England to the Nova Scotia Regiment Depot and joined the Cadet Unit of the RFC (Royal Flying Corp). He was placed on the RFC course at Sup Park in South Farnborough 11/11/1917. By 28/06/1918 he had proceed to the School of Aeronautics at then RAF at Hastings. He was appointed to the rank of Acting Sergeant 7/09/18
Harry was SOS with the RCR 20/09/18 and recorded “Discharged in British Isles and appointed Flight Cadet RAF.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
| Awards | Military Medal |
| Sources | Centennial Chatham 1895-1995 - John Rhodes, RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 439 – 45, Military Medal London Gazette citation 23/08/1916, RR website , Military Medal London Gazette citation 23/08/1916,, RCR website |
| Birthplace | 18/10/1895 at Winford, Chesford, England |
| Next of Kin | N of K: Miss J. Barlow, (sister) of Woo |
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