Biography of Private George Henry Hare (33949)
16th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
Also 15th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
Died 31st July 1917

Soldier

  • Name: George Henry Hare
  • Date of birth: 1895
  • Place of Birth: Dunsby, Lincolnshire, England
  • Date of Birth Registration: July – September 1895
  • Place of Birth Registration: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England

Father

  • Name: John Hare
  • DOB: 1864
  • Place of Birth: Wigtoft, Lincolnshire, England
  • Occupation: Farm horseman

Mother

  • Name: Sarah Sharp
  • DOB: 1861
  • Place Of Birth: Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, England
  • Marriage: 1882 Spalding District

Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB

  • Mary Jane Hare, 1882, Pinchbeck
  • Elizabeth Hare, 1883, Quadring
  • William Sharp Hare, 1884, Dunsby (Died 1885 Age 0)
  • John William Hare, 1885, Dunsby (Died 1886 Age 0)
  • John Hare, 1887, Dunsby
  • Charles Hare, 1888, Dunsby
  • Walter Hare, 1890, Dunsby
  • Alice Ann Hare, 1892, Dunsby
  • Albert Hare, 1893, Dunsby (Died 1894 Age 0)
  • George Henry Hare, 1895, Dunsby
  • Ethel May Hare, 1896, Dunsby

Census

  • 1901: George is living with his parents in Dunsby, Lincolnshire.
  • 1911: George is living with his parents in Dunsby Fen, Lincolnshire. The census gives him an age of 15 and he is listed as a farm labourer.

Relatives in services

Marriage

  • No marriage for George has been found and because of his age we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Newspaper Mentions

  • Sheffield Daily Telegraph Wednesday 12th September 1917
    N.C.O.’S AND MEN
    KILLED
    SHERWOOD FORESTERS
    Hare (33949), G. H. (Spalding)

 

  • War Office Weekly casualty List September 18th 1917
    KILLED
    SHERWOOD FORESTERS. –
    Hare 33949 G. H. (Spalding)

 

  • Spalding Guardian Friday 14th September 1917
    HOW A PINCHBECK WEST SOLDIER DIED.
    In addition to the official notification of the death of Pte. G. H. Hare, as reported in the “Guardian” a fortnight ago, the following letter has been received by the parents from France:-
    To Mrs. Hare, East Dunsby, Pinchbeck.
    Dear Madam, I regret very much to have to inform you that your son, Pte. G. H. Hare, was killed in action on August 2nd.  He came successfully through the first three days of the big attack, but when holding the captured German line, and sheltering in a shell hole, was killed outright by German shell.  He was a good soldier, brave and cheerful, doing his duty well and keenly.  He died a fine soldier’s death.  I am deeply sorry, and send you my most sincere sympathy. – W. H. C. Bulkeley (Lieut), Sherwood Foresters.

Military Records

Attestation Papers

  • None found

Soldier’s Died In The Great War

  • These records show that Private George Henry Hare, 33949, 16th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) was killed in action on 31st July 1917 in the Western European Theatre in France and Flanders.

Pension Records

  • Available

Effects Left To

  • Father John

Medals

  • The British Medal
    The Victory Medal

Memorials

  • UK:
  • Dunsby, Roll of Honour in All Saints Church
  • West Pinchbeck St Bartholomew’s Church
  • Pinchbeck War Memorial

 

  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
  • In Memory of Private George Henry Hare, 33949, 16th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) who died on 31 July 1917 Age 21.
  • Son of John and Sarah Hare, of East Dunsby, Pinchbeck, Spalding.
  • Remembered with Honour Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

© Laura Keeran

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials
Jamie paying his respects to Gt Gt Uncle George
on the 100th anniversary of his death

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

Military Service Timeline

George was born in Dunsby, Lincolnshire, in the summer of 1895, to John Hare, a farm Horseman born in Wigtoft and his wife Sarah Sharpe born in Pinchbeck. John and Sarah were married in 1882 and had 12 children, unfortunately loosing 3 of their children before 1911.

 

Their married life started in Pinchbeck, quickly moving to Quadring and eventually settling in Dunsby in 1884 where their remaining children were born.

 

  • Mary Jane Hare, 1882, Pinchbeck
  • Elizabeth Hare, 1883, Quadring
  • William Sharp Hare, 1884, Dunsby – (Died 1885 age less than 1 year)
  • John William Hare 1885, Dunsby – (Died 1886 age less than 1 year)
  • John Hare, 1887, Dunsby
  • Charles Hare, 1888, Dunsby
  • Walter Hare, 1890, Dunsby
  • Alice Ann Hare, 1892, Dunsby
  • Albert Hare, 1893, Dunsby – (Died 1894 age less than 1 year)
  • George Henry Hare, 1895, Dunsby
  • Ethel May Hare, 1896, Dunsby

 

George found work as a farm labourer and was living at home in Dunsby fen aged 16 in 1911. His father John was also working as a farm labourer.

 

George enlisted into the army in Bourne, from his service number and war gratuity payment we can calculate that he joined in January 1916 and was posted to the 15th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment). This was a bantam Battalion made up of men under 5 feet 3 inches typically from mining or agricultural backgrounds.

 

Although the 15th Battalion were ordered to Egypt in late 1915, this was cancelled, and their first overseas posting was in February 1916, too early for George to have been trained. This was to France where the Battalion later fought in the Battle Somme.

 

At some point George was posted to the 16th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Chatsworth Rifles), although it is not known exactly when this occurred. Posting to another battalion would typically happen in three main circumstances: –

  1. On joining a soldier would be attached to one battalion for training but could be moved to another Battalion before their overseas posting.

 

  1. After training with a Battalion, a soldier would be posted overseas to join them but when in base camp on arrival, he could be moved to another Battalion that was in more need of men. This happened quite often during the middle of the war when the attrition rate was the highest and before the idle of 1916 when special training battalions were formed.

 

  1. Typically, a wounded soldier would upon regaining fitness, after a period of time, be posted to a Battalion where they were most in need of replacements.

 

As George’s war records did not survive, most likely burnt in the warehouse fire in the London Blitz that claimed a high percentage of all records, we can only be sure that George was with the 16th Battalion in his final month as their diary mentions a new draft on the 15th June 1917 but none between this date and the first day of 3rd Ypres, the Battle of Passchendaele where George was killed..

 

The 16th had been mobilised in March 1916 and landed in Harvre. Initially in 1916 they were involved in  an attack near Richebourg l’Avoue, The fighting on the Ancre, The Battle of Thiepval Ridge, The Battle of the Ancre heights and The Battle of the Ancre.

They moved from the Ancre area of France in November 1916 into the Ypres Salient.

It is unlikely that George had recived enough training before the Battle of the Somme and most likely joined the Battalion in late 1916 or early in 1917.

 

The 16th Battalion remained in the Ypres Salient until the end of June 1917 when they were moved from the Hilltop Sector near the Ypres-Yser Canal, to Northern France. Once they had arrived in Serques the Battalion underwent training in preparation for the big attack planned for the Ypres Salient.

 

On the 21st / 22nd of July George along with his 16th Battalion, were moved by Motor Lorries and Motor Busses close to Poperinge and then marched to a rest camp near Wornhoudt. They remained bivouacked here until the 27th July. The next day they were moved back to their old stomping ground of the Hill Top Sector relieving the 6th Lincolnshire’s.

 

 

The following is an extract from the Battalion Diary describing their movements in the lead up and on the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele.

 

30th July – Hill Top Sector

 

The Battalion Assembled in our own front line trenches to assault the German Trenches and capture their front line system. A Company on the right front and B Company on the left front wire detailed to capture and consolidate the German front (red) and support (yellow) lines. Whilst C Company on the left passed through and went forward to capture and consolidate the German reserve line (Blue and Dotted Blue lines). The 11th battalion, the Royal Sussex Regiment were on our right and 17th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps on our left.

 

31st July – Hill Top Sector

 

At 3.50am the artillery barrage opened and our four lines advanced to get as close under it as possible. The men followed closely, and the objectives assigned to the Battalion were secured with little difficulty by A Company commanded by Captain C G Lord, B Company commanded by Captain P H Coleridge, C Company Commanded by Captain L H Askwith and D Company by Lieutenant T C O Williams.

The enemy held these trenches lightly and only put up a weak resistance. During the advance the Battalion captured 120 prisoners and 2 machine guns. Advanced Battalion Headquarters were established in Camphor Trench (Reserve Line) and the consolidation of the Dotted Blue Line commenced.

 

At 8.30am A Company was withdrawn for work under the 227th Field Company Royal Engineers for road construction.

During the day the greater part of the Battalion was employed in carrying forward the Brigade dump and carrying forward SAA bombs, wire and water to the 17th Battalion Sherwood Foresters and 16th Battalion Rifle Brigade who had captured Kitchener’s Wood and the trench system up to the River Steenbeek.

At 4.30pm C Company was sent up to reinforce the 17th Battalion Sherwood Foresters and came under command of the Officer Commanding that battalion. One Platoon of this Company was sent forward to the line of the River Steenbeck.

 

About 9pm B Company was similarly sent up to reinforce this line 2nd Lieutenant A S Mellor was wounded whilst conducting a camping party to Kitchener’s Wood.

 

Going by the official date of death, at some point between Assembling in Hornby and Forward Trench at Zero minus 3 and the end of the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele (3rd Battle of Ypres), Private George Henry Hare was killed in action or is this now in question?

 

HOW A PINCHBECK WEST SOLDIER DIED.
In addition to the official notification of the death of Pte. G. H. Hare, as reported in the “Guardian” a fortnight ago, the following letter has been received by the parents from France:-

To Mrs. Hare, East Dunsby, Pinchbeck.

Dear Madam, I regret very much to have to inform you that your son, Pte. G. H. Hare, was killed in action on August 2nd.  He came successfully through the first three days of the big attack, but when holding the captured German line, and sheltering in a shell hole, was killed outright by German shell.  He was a good soldier, brave and cheerful, doing his duty well and keenly.  He died a fine soldier’s death.  I am deeply sorry, and send you my most sincere sympathy. – W. H. C. Bulkeley (Lieut), Sherwood Foresters.

 

 

We now look more closely at the 16th Battalion War Diary that has an entries from the 2nd August  to the rest of their tour of the trenches.

 

1st– 2nd Aug – St Julien

 

About 6:00 PM orders were received for the 117th infantry brigade to take over the divisional front. The 16th battalion Sherwood foresters relieved the 13th Battalion Royal Sussex regiment in and behind St Julien.

The right of the brigade front dispositions were:-

D company – St Julien

C Company – Canteen & Canopus Trench

A & B Company – dugout in between Canopus trench and Venheulle Farm

Battalion Headquarters – Venheulle Farm

Relief was completed by 9.30pm

During the process of the relief, a high velocity shell entered Venheulle Farm killing and injuring 30 other ranks including three officers.

During the day – Capt LH Askwith – wounded

During relief – Capt C H L Rixon – Shell shock

 

3rd Aug

 

A and B companies were heavily shelled in their ‘dugout’ positions and suffered heavy casualties. their positions became untenable and at 6.00 PM, a company had to withdraw to Camphor Trench and B company to California Drive. Two platoons of the company were sent up to reinforce the St Julien defences.

 

4th Aug

The enemy bombarded our positions steadily the whole day and night placed a heavy barrage on canteen trench Venheulle Farm on the approaches to St Julien.

Any accounted foreign enemy patrol approaching St Julien from the north they left five dead on the ground.

 

5th Aug

D Company at St Julien again accounted for five of the enemy and reported the village clear of the enemy.

A steady bombardment of the defences was kept up making the matter of supplies a great difficulty.

At 11.20 PM the battalion was relieved by the 1/5th Gloucester Regiment and proceded to dugouts on the canal bank.

 

 

The newspaper printed letter throws into doubt the actual dates of George’s death as the Battalion Diary does mention a large explosion which could be the one mentioned in the letter to his mother.  

We have to think that this could be his officer giving some details as to what happened rather than just, he was killed in the melee. It was known that officers described death in a certain way rather than giving the families the real and brutal truth.

In either case George has no known grave, a sad fact for many men on the western front who were killed or missing and their bodies never identified, or buried in a battlefield grave that was later destroyed in fighting or shelling.

 

 

Commonwealth War Graves Commission:

In Memory of Private George Henry Hare, 33949, 16th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) who died on 31 July 1917 Age 21.

Remembered with Honour Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

Panel Ref: Panel 39 and 41

 

George is also commemorated on the war memorial in his native Parish Church in Dunsby, Lincolnshire as well as on the war memorial of Pinchbeck.

 

“their name liveth for evermore”

Sources

  • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  • British Newspaper Archive.