Name
Harold George Tabernacle
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/11/1918
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
P/7556
Military Police Corps
Military Mounted Police (E.E.F.)
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ALEXANDRIA (HADRA) WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY
E. 122.
Egypt
Headstone Inscription
ELDEST AND BELOVED SON OF MARY & ERNEST TABERNACLE
UK & Other Memorials
Potters Bar, Little Heath & Bentley Heath Memorial, Potters Bar, All Souls Chapel Book of Remembrance, Potters Bar, St Albans School Memorial
Pre War
Harold George Tabernacle was born in 1882 in Potters Bar to Ernest Tabernacle, auctioneer, and Mary Cumming (nee Tingey)
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, H LL (born 1883), Norman (born 1884), Gordon (born 1885), Percy (born 1887), Hilda M (born 1890) and Harold G were living at Essex Lodge, Colney Hatch, Muswell Hill. Also recorded was Mary Anne Tingey (mother in law) and 1 domestic servant. The family at this is recorded as Abrinach.
Harold ‘s mother Mary died in 1894 and his father Ernest married Lois Smith in 1899. Harold was educated at St Albans School.
On the 1901 Census the Family of Ernest Lois, Harold G (Land Agent & Valuer), Gordon (Est Agent clerk), Percy B, Hilda Mary, Ernest M J (born 1889) were living at Minsko House, Wheathampstead, Also recorded were Ada Smith (sister in law) and Kathleen Brooks, (a niece) and 2 domestic servants.
On the 1911 the family of Ernest Lois, Hilda May, Ernest M, Lois Ellen (born 1903), Paul Ewen (born 1896) were living at the Hollies, Potters Bar
Wartime Service
Harold attested on Sep 1914 for 1/ 1st County of London Yeomanry (Middlesex Duke of Cambridge’s Hussars) and was embodied as Trooper 3534 on the same day, Harold went to Egypt with his unit, part of 2nd Mounted Division on 14 Apr 1915 from Avonmouth arriving in Alexandria on 18 Apr 1915. In August 1915 the Division was despatched to the Gallipoli Front as Dismounted Troops at Suvla Bay. Harold was evacuated to Malta on 11 Oct 1915 suffering from Enteritis, returning to Duty in Cairo on 13 Dec 1915. 2nd Mounted Division had been evacuated from Gallipoli (Dec 1915) and were reformed as 8th Mounted Brigade. Harold was transferred as Acting L/Cpl to Military Mounted Police on 1 Oct 1916 and was dispatched with the Brigade to Salonika on 16 Nov 1916 returning to Egypt on 4 Jun 1917. Harold had a spell with Division & Brigade Headquarters before taking Leave in UK on 30 Sep 1917 returning to Egypt where he was hospitalised from 2 – 13 Mar 1918. He was regraded medically from the Mounted Police and returned to Duty with 8th Mounted Brigade Depot at Kantara on 9 Apr 1918. Over the next months he suffered spells in hospital until on 13 Oct 1918 ahe was admitted to 21 General hospital Alexandria with Malaria and on to 19 General Hospital on 2 Nov 1918 as dangerously ill with Malaria and died on 3 Nov 1918 from Malaria (clinical) and Bronchial pneumonia.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £19 and arrears of £26 11s 4d was paid to Hilda Mary (sister). Brother Percy Bernard served as Lieutenant with Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry from Aug 1914 and Royal Flying Corps as Captain from Sep 1916, surviving the Great War. Brother Norman Ernest served with New Zealand Vetinary Corps from Aug 1914 in Egypt and France also surviving. Brother Gordon served with 1st London Yeomanry but was discharge in Mar 1915 ‘no longer fit for Military service’.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
