The eldest of 6 children to Thomas (a coal merchant's clerk) & Elizabeth Hailstone (nee Bartholomew) of Veraville, 2 Cromwell Road, Basingstoke. Ralph Pursglove Hailstone (1893-1916) Violet Mayo Hailstone (1895-1980) Thomas Herbert Hailstone (1897-1916) Wilfred Hailstone (1899-1984) Maurice Hailstone (1901-1988) Brian Hailstone (1907-1986) Ralph was educated at St John's & Queen Mary's Schools, Basingstoke. He was a very popular schoolboy, keen student and first-class sportsman, excelling at all kinds of games and was a good swimmer, gaining whilst at school his certificate and bronze medallion as a capable instructor in life saving. On leaving school he adopted the profession of engineering with great enthusiasm and was apprenticed to Messrs John I Thornycroft Ltd with whom he learnt every branch of his profession with great thoroughness. However, as there was no holiday entitlement and being fond of physical activity he, like many of his friends, joined the Hampshire Territorials as a private in 1910. In 1914 at the time of the outbreak of war he was under canvas with his Regiment (then a Sergeant) at Bulford Camp. Volunteers for active service were needed and Ralph was among the first to respond. Already a capable soldier, he was offered a commission, but preferred to go out to India with his Regiment; he set sail on 10th October with the 1st/4th Hampshires proceeding first to Bombay and thence to Poona and Rawul Pindi. In March 1915 his Regiment reinforced General Nixon and sailed to the Persian Gulf landing at Basra. The Hampshires did splendid service against the Turks dislodging them from various strongholds until 26th July at Nasiriyeh they met with stubborn resistance and the Regiment lost heavily, many of the best officers being killed, Captain Paul Simmonds, Ralph's Captain, being among those mortally wounded, and dying after Ralph (then Company Sergeant Major) had succeeded in carrying him to a place of safety. Ralph himself went through the desperate fight at Nasiriyeh as if he bore a charmed life. His clothing and equipment bore evidence of no less than eleven shots but he himself sustained not even a scratch. The Regiment advanced to within 54 miles of Bagdad and then had to retreat. Ralph left his Regiment at Kut and was sent to Bombay where his commission was awaiting and sailed for England in October 1915, reporting to the War Office on 4th November being then sent to Pembroke College, Cambridge for courses of Instruction in Musketry and Bayonet Fighting, earning an excellent record in both. He was posted to the 13th Hampshires and in August 1916 sailed for France, attached to the 2nd Battalion. He took a gallant part in the Battle on the Somme through that autumn and his Regiment suffered an irreparable loss when he fell on 18th October 1916. Numerous letters of sympathy were received by the gallant office's parents and every letter testifies in the highest terms of Lieut. Hailstone who was in every respect a capable officer and one who, had he lived, would certainly have gained rapid promotion. Fellow officers respected him, his men admired and trusted him and willingly followed him in every charge. Lieut. Colonel WH Midleton (Commanding the 2nd Hampshires) wrote: “Your son was shot through the head by a sniper and killed instantaneously... At the time of his death he was being of the greatest assistance to his Company Commander by making every effort to secure the somewhat precarious flank of a recently captured trench, which was afterwards, thanks I believe in a great measure to his efforts, successfully held. He was the type of office we can ill afford to lose” We believe this relates to Grease Trench. Another officer of the 2nd Hampshires, NP Robertson wrote “I knew your boy (Jimmy, as he was always called) very well both at home and out here. A better fellow and officer no one could hope for. Very keen at his work and a happy cheerful companion off duty. He was most popular both with officers and men, and we all feel his loss very deeply. It is a serious matter losing an officer like he was.... Poor boy, he was killed just after the attached.. the Germans seemed to be working round on a flank, and Jimmy kept looking over to see what was happening. He had no fear and was anxiously doing everything he could to avoid what appeared to be a dangerous move. He was properly and reverently buried by his Sergeant and men.” A letter of very special interest came from CF Simmons of Eastrop Fields, Basingstoke, father of Captain Paul Simmons under whom Ralph served in Mesopotamia. The letter expresses heartfelt regret for and honourable pride in the death on the battlefield of these two gallant officers: “I am writing a few lines to express our great regret at the sad news of the death of your son and to assure you of our deep and sincere sympathy with you in your sorrow. It is only a short time since he so kindly came to see me with reference to the death of our boy with whom he was nobly doing his duty in service of his King and Country and the knowledge that he did all that lay in his power for our son in his last hours touched us very much. They have both given their lives in the great cause and we can but feel sure that they have gained the Crown of Life which is promised to those who have rendered faithful service.” Ralph was Mr & Mrs Hailstone's second son to be lost in service. His brother Private Thomas Herbert Hailstone died 21.1.16 in Mesopotamia – his is commemorated at the Basra Memorial, Iraq. Information uploaded by his brother Maurice Hailstone's family and mostly obtained from the British Roll of Honour. Ralph's photo has been donated to help create the “Missing of the Somme”, a panel of some 600 photos at the Thiepval Memorial visitor centre.  Ralph & Thomas were great grandsons of the late John Mayo Pursglove of Hurstmonceaux and Gardner Street, Sussex, descendants from the original Pursglove who came from Normandy with William the Conqueror.

Jacqueline Marsh