Born 26th June 1894 Harry Hands was the youngest son of John and Matilda Hands of New Street, Shipston-on-Stour. The young Harry was baptised on the 30th September 1894. The family was a large one with five daughters being born followed by four sons. The second youngest son, Charlie, was also killed in the Great War.

It is not known when Harry started at the Shipston Infants but it was probably in 1899 when he was 5. On the 1st July 1901, when aged 7, he moved up from the Infants to the Boys School. The register notes that the family lived in New Street, Shipston.

On the 3rd July 1907 Harry left the School and was apprenticed to his father, who worked as a blacksmith, just one week after his thirteenth birthday. Harry joined up straight away and the Evesham Journal reports that he was a Farrier in the Warwickshire Yeomanry in its edition of the 14th September 1914.

Harry was one of the troops on the Wayfarer when it was badly damaged by a mine off the Isles of Scilly (see Bertram Coe for details). He arrived in Egypt on the 24th April 1915. Having arrived on the Gallipoli peninsula in August 1915, by the end September only 41 of the original 308 men were left. Just over 100 had been killed or wounded, the remainder succumbed to severe sickness. It is not known if Harry was amongst the sick, but the Warwickshire Yeomanry in the form of 8 Officers and 85 other ranks were evacuated to Mudros, an Aegean island the British used near Gallipoli, on 31st October 1915. On the 24th November 1915 the Regiment embarked for Alexandria in Egypt on board T.S.S. Themistocles, which sailed at 4pm. At 4pm on the 27th November they arrived at Alexandria Docks. The following morning they disembarked and entrained at 8:45am for Cairo arriving at 2pm. From Cairo they moved the 7 miles to Mena Camp.

Once back to full strength the Warwickshires spent many months trekking the desert and working at outposts in the fight against the Turks. Harry is listed in the Regimental History as being killed in the Battle of Rafa. The book describes the day of the 9th January 1917:

“The object of the frontal attack, which was now developing, was to hold the enemy in front, while the enveloping movement to the S.E. of his position was being carried out by the New Zealanders and the Camel Corps. At 12.45 there was a pause to allow the Camel Corps to link up with the left flank of the 5th Mounted Brigade.  The Brigade were at this time disposed as follows:- On the left the Gloucesters with one Squadron of Worcesters; in the centre the Warwicks “D” Squadron and “B” Squadron, “C” Squadron was on the right front, and their right flank Troop eventually gained its objective under cover of a small knoll. Although the enemy had withdrawn his field guns to the rear, the advance was checked by severe traverse fire from machine guns and rifle fire, and the Regiment had suffered many casualties though mostly wounded.

About 3 o’clock the Warwicks machine gun section came into position, and opened fire at 1,450 yards on the Turkish front line trenches, under cover of which a concentrated attack was carried out.  The Gloucesters with “C” Squadron of the Warwicks came in for heavy fire advancing over open ground and suffered severely. About 4.30 the Camel Corps stormed at the point of a bayonet, and were well supported by the Yeomanry machine guns. B” and “D” Squadrons then advanced across the ploughed area on the enemy’s central position, but at 800 yards from their front trench received orders to withdraw.  It was nearly dark, but a successful and orderly retirement was carried out under effective covering fire. It was left to the Anzacs to complete the victory. Amongst the casualties the Warwicks had two Officers and 42 Other Ranks wounded and five men killed.”

Harry Hands was one of the five men killed and the Evesham Journal of the 20th January 1917 reported:

An official intimation from Warwick was received by Mr J Hands, New-street, Shipston-on-Stour, that his son, Corpl Shoeing Smith Harry Hands had been killed in action on January 9, while serving with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. Corpl Hands was 22 years of age and he joined the Warwickshire Yeomanry some time previous to the war, and had done one period of training. He was one of the party of Yeomanry in charge of the remounts on board the Wayfarer when it was torpedoed by a submarine while on its way to Egypt. Previous to joining the Yeomanry he had served for four years in the 5th Gloucester Territorials. While at home he assisted his father in his blacksmithing business. He was a well know athlete in the district, carrying off a good many prizes as a sprint runner at the local meetings. He was also a member of the local football team. Mr Hands has two other sons serving with the forces.

The Stratford Herald of the 1st February 1917 ran a similar report:

He was a bright cheerful and popular young man of 22 years of age. He had been in hospital suffering from dysentery and had been expected to come home on sick leave. Two of Mr Hands other sons are serving in the Army, one son being servant to Sir Douglas Haig.

Harry is buried in the Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt and is remembered on the Town Memorial, the County School Memorial and on the Warwickshire Yeomanry War Memorial in Warwick.

Mike Wells