| Rank | Private |
| Service # | 400821 |
| 24th Reg. | Yes |
| Resident | Chatham |
A single farmer. Had served 6 months with the 24th Kent Regt. Attestation: 23/01/1915 at Chatham, ON. age 18yrs. 3mos. To the 33rd Bn. Harry was one of eighty-three enlistments who passed their medicals reported in the CDP 25/01/15.
Harry went overseas 17/08/15 aboard the SS Hesperian leaving from Montreal, PQ as part of the battalion’s second draft. He arrives in Liverpool, England on 28/08/15 and proceeded to Shornciffe where the whole draft was absorbed in the 9th Res. Battalion. He was sentenced to 2 days Field Punishment (FP) 28/08/15 and forfeited 6 days pay for being absent. On 5/01/16 he was transferred to the 21st Bn. they would leave for France arriving at CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the Rouelles Camp, Havre as part of 227 reinforcements.
Harry had some difficulty with military discipline as he received 28 day of FP 24/02/16 for neglect of duty. The 1st of June 1916 he was admitted to No.5 CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance0 with a diagnosis of Influenza. He was discharged fit for duty on the 9th of June.
Harry would find himself in combat 15/09/16 during the attack on the sugar refinery at Courcelette where he would receive shrapnel wound to his chest that punctured his left lung. After being admitted to a Field Ambulance and transferred to a CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) he would arrive at No.2 Australian General Hospital at Boulogne, listed as dangerously ill on 20/09/16, he underwent surgery to remove the shrapnel on the 25th of September and was invalided to England aboard the HS St. Denis. He would then transferred to No. 4 Northern General Hospital, Lincoln, England on the 28th and was taken off the dangerously ill list on 29/09/16.
In November of 1916 Harry was transferred to the Canadian Divisional Convalescant Hospital at Epsom, England and while there he was employed as a part time clerk while rehabilitating. He would remain at Epsom until March of 1917 when he was transferred to the Eastern Ontario regimental Depot for pay purposes and on 26/03/17 was transferred to St. Leonard’s Hospital for light rehabilitation and light duties. He remained there until 1/05/1917 when he was transferred to Barnwell Military Hospital in Cambridge where Gonorrhea was added to his diagnosis. During his Medical Board review prior to being discharged in December of 1918, he denied ever having Gonorrhea. He was discharged from St. Leonard’s 7/06/17.
After his discharge Harry would continue to have problems with military discipline 8 September and 2 October he would be docked 25 days of lost pay due to being AWL Absence Without Leave finally he was placed on indefinite pay restrictions, perhaps the army thought if he didn’t have money he would not be able to be missing from duty? It would not be until 8 May that he was restored to full pay.
On 22 November 1918 Harry would embark on the Cunard SS Aquitania at Southampton destination Canada. He disembarked on 28 November and proceeded to London, ON. posted to No.1 District Casualty Company and was granted leave to Chatham, ON. (132 Adelaide St.) until 18/12/18. Harry was discharged from the Army 24/12/1918. Following the war his medals (British War Medal and Victory Medal) were sent to Harry c/o the Portage Hotel, portage LaPrairie, Manitoba.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
| Sources | Chatham Daily Planet (25-01-1915), Chatham Daily Planet (18-10-1916), Chatham Daily Planet (09-12-1918), Chatham Daily Planet (08-02-1919), RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 5891-48, Item No. 197217 |
| Birthplace | 3/10/1896 at Glostershire, England |
| Next of Kin | No next of kin listed on attestation |
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