Harry Hartle was born in September 1890, the first son of Thomas and Ellen Hartle of Church Hill, Northfield. Thomas himself was born in 1863 in Wildmoor in Bromsgrove, the son of William and Elizabeth Hartle and after working as a builder’s labourer found work as a railway labourer. Thomas married Ellen Withers in late 1889 in Kings Norton parish, probably at St Laurence Church in Northfield as by this time he was living in Northfield and working as a lamplighter.

Ellen Withers was born in 1863, the daughter of Issac and Dinah Withers of Northfield, Isaac working as a nailer whilst Dinah worked in the jewellery industry. Ellen first found work as a paper box maker prior to her marriage to Thomas. Following Harry’s birth, Elsie followed in 1894 and then Lilian in 1900. At some point during these years Thomas and Ellen had another child which died in infancy.

By 1911 the family were living at 34 Church Road in Northfield and Harry and his sister Elsie had found employment at Cadbury’s in Bournville, Harry as a moulder and Elsie as an Almond sorter. Their grandmother Dinah was also living with them, her husband Isaac having died in 1892. 

Harry Hartle married Maud Lizzie Bourne on 31st October 1914 at St Michaels and All Angels Church in Bartley Green. Maud was the daughter of John and Mary Bourne and had been born in Belbroughton in 1893. A brother Frank John Bourne followed in 1896 but John died soon afterwards and Mary got remarried to William Henry Brett in 1901 and by 1911 they were living at 8 Jiggins Lane, Bartley Green. Harry and Maud moved into a house just down the road at number 24.

With the coming of War in 1914, Harry did not join up originally but finally answered his country’s call on 15th November 1915 when he was attested at Aston Barracks, signing up to the 2/8 Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. On 22nd May 1916 Harry departed from Southampton arriving at Le Havre the following day. The 2/8 were attached to 182nd Brigade, the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division and were based in the Merville area of Northern France. 

The Division did not take part in the Battle of the Somme but were used for a diversionary attack on Fromelles on 19th July 1916, an action that was supposed to divert enemy forces from the Somme area. The attack did not succeed and the division suffered heavy casualties and was withdrawn from the line. Harry was granted home leave from 17th December 1916 to 27th December 1916. Following this the division was only used for holding action until mid 1917, during which time Harry had been trained in the use of light trench mortars.

In March 1917 the division was involved in the operations on the Ancre, specifically in the action in and around Baupame. From 16th to 18th August they took part in the Battle of Langmarck as part of the Third battle of Ypres, again specifically around Schueler and Aisne Farms. In late November 1917, the British Third Army made a highly successful attack, using massed tanks for the first time, near Cambrai. The 61st Division was initially held in reserve and was still in the area when the enemy made a determined counter attack on 30 November. The Division was ordered up to reinforce the units under attack in the area of La Vacquerie and for some days was involved in a hard fight to stem the enemy attack. 

It was during this action that on 5th December 1917 that Harry was reported missing  in action. His body was never found and he was declared missing presumed dead. He is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial to the Missing at Louveral. Harry is also remembered on a memorial at St Laurence Church in Northfield and on various memorials housed in the sports pavilion at Cadbury’s in Bournville. 

His widow Maud remarried following Harry’s death to James Connop Hinton in mid 1919. James was to die in an unfortunate accident in 1929 when he was crushed whilst unloading a lorry. Maud herself died in 1962.

Paul Finegan