Driver Harry Saffell,

Harry Saffell was born 1893 in Woodford Bridge, Essex but spent his childhood in Wenhaston in Suffolk.  One of six children, his parents were Henry and Ethel Saffell (née Clarke). According to the 1911 census he was a horseman on a farm in Wenhaston, Suffolk. In 1912 he moved to Stratford in East London and he was employed on the Great Eastern Railway as a fireman.  He had learnt to ring in Suffolk and it was noted in the parish magazine that he came with a letter of introduction from the rector to the vicar at Leytonstone as a keen ringer.  Already able to ring Bob Minor, with the St Johns ringers he soon made progress in the surprise methods.  Harry enrolled in the Essex Change Ringers Association in 1912. He was said to combine a fine physique and natural aptitude for ringing.  He enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery "B" Battery. 159th Brigade in April 1915 and arrived at the front in December of that year. His service was Nil/21782.  He was killed in Belgium on October 24th, 1917 and he was buried in the Ruisseau Farm Cemetery in West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

On hearing of his death, the Leytonstone ringers rang a 720 of York Surprise Minor, that being the method he rang to his last 720 while home on leave shortly before his death in 1917. A letter to his parents from his Lieutenant said that he was always cheerful and an excellent gunner, he also explained that he was killed instantly when a large shell landed close to where he was.  The blast also killed several others.  He was buried in the Ruisseau Farm Cemetery in West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

 

June Gray