Name
Harold William File
1st May 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/07/1916
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 11 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, Stained Glass Window, Hitchin Boys Grammar School, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
His father was Mr Edwin File the proprietor of a retail grocery business living at 24, Sun Street, Hitchin and his mother was Laura File. He was his parents' second son. Later after Harold’s death their address was recorded as 6 Salisbury Villas, Shorncliffe Road, Folkestone.
Harold was born on the 1 May 1894 in Boughton, Faversham, Kent.
In 1901 the family were living at the General Supply Store, The Street, Boughton under Bean, Kent. Present were both parents: Edwin (42) and Laura (41), with Edwin working as a in his own business as a grocer, draper and general provider in his general supply store. Their children were Mabel L (10) and Harold William (6), with Ellen E Masey (30) present at a boarder and Edith H Andrews (15) as a servant.
By 1911 the family had moved to Hitchin and were living at 24 Sun St, Hitchin. Present were both parents, Edwin now recorded as a grocer and employer in his own shop. The census recorded they had been married for 27 years with 4 children all living. The children present were Bernard Edwin (26), Harold William still at school and Eric Colyer (9). Also present was Elizabeth Kate Hares (15) and a servant.
Harold attended the Hitchin Grammar School from 1904-1911. He had a brilliant school record that included obtaining a Foundation Scholarship. By the outbreak of war he was making rapid headway in his career as a clerk in the offices of the Canadian Pacific Railway, having previously worked for P & O of Leadenhall Street in London. An active member of the Old Boys Club, his loyalty to his old school was regarded as one of his most pleasing features.
He enlisted on 10 September 1914 at which time his address was given as 24 Sun Street, Hitchin.
Wartime Service
He served in the UK until January 1915, when he left for France, arriving on 23 January 1915 – this suggests that he may already have been serving as a territorial - he was with the Honourable Artillery Company (H.A.C.) until January 1916. After which joined the 7th Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
He joined the forces as a Private with the Regimental Number 2352 in the 4th Company of the H.A.C. and during this period he wrote a history of this unit which was published in the School Chronicle.
In Jan 1916 he received a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant and was sent to the 7th Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment. The 7th Battalion was in the 55th Brigade, 18th Division, XIII Corps of the 4th Army.
The 18th Division arrived at Trones Wood east of Montauban on the evening of the 12th July 1916, taking over from the 89th and 90th Divisions which had sustained very heavy casualties. The 55th Brigade took over the front-line trenches. General Rawlinson, Commander of the 4th Army and not a man shy of sacrificing soldiers’ lives, had directed that the wood was to be taken at all costs by midnight on the 13th/14th July 1916. The 55th Brigade attacked from the south of the wood commencing at 7.00pm on the 13th July, the instructions to the Royal West Kents being to push through the wood or that part south of the railway. They suffered very heavily from artillery fire going across a sunken road towards Trones Wood.
Harold met his death from a shell burst when he was leading his Company across the wood. The Royal West Kents were cut off at one stage but refused to surrender.
In response to a request for information for men of the H.A.C. who had died in the war, published in the Daily Telegraph, his father wrote on 19 May 1919, giving this information on Harold: “Joined H.A.C. as Private (no. 2352 – 2nd Batt.) early Sept 1914. Sent to Flanders Jan 7 1915. Slightly wounded Hooge June 1915. Went to Somerset House, St Omer to train for commission Nov. 1915. Gazetted 2nd Lt 7th Royal West Kents Jan 1916. Killed in action, by a shell whilst leading his men in Trônes Wood July 13th 1916.” A copy of which is attached to his H.A.C. records.
Harold’s commission was also reported in the Kentish Gazette and Canterbury Press on January 29, 1916, where uncle and aunt, Mr and Mrs Broadley lived.
Additional Information
After his death three sums were authorised to be paid £7 5s 0d, then £39 15s 0d, and finally £3 2s 10d.
Probate was issued on 23 November 1916 and recorded that Harold left effects to the value of £456 4s 10d.
His mother applied for his medals.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
