Harry was born on 9 December 1919 at Blythe, Newcastle, Northumberland. An only child he attended what was classed at that time as a Grammar School and had a good education. He worked in the Cotton Spinning Industry and was promoted to foreman at a young age.
He was conscripted into the Army on the 9th May 1940 for the duration of the Emergency and posted to the 57th Training Regiment Royal Armoured Corps at Warminster.
Harry rose quite quickly through the Junior Ranks to full Corporal in January 1941 followed by War Substantive Corporal in January 1941 and in February 1942 was posted to the Middle East (Egypt) and joined the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars, one of the many replacements to the Regiment which had suffered losses and some four hundred taken prisoner of war during the campaign in Greece.
He saw action with the Regiment in Egypt which would have included Knightsbridge, El Alamein and more.
In January 1943 the 4th Hussars were posted to Cyprus for rest and retraining for six months, a very pleasant break for them, then back to Egypt to face the old foe, the Africa Corps, for ten months then off to Italy on the 4th May 1944 a very different type of warfare to the dessert.
Harry was promoted Sergeant in March 1945 followed by War Substantive Sergeant in September that year by which time the war in Europe had ended on the 8th May 1945. At the end of May, the Regiment had moved up into Austria near the Yugoslav border.
Harry married Freda Hall on the 22nd of August 1945 they had one daughter Naomi and one granddaughter, Nicola.
He was discharged to the Reserve on the 4th of April 1946 in the rank of Sergeant having served 5 years 327 days.
He was awarded the Defence Medal, the 1939/45 Star, Africa Star with Clasp 8th Army and the Italy Star.
He returned to his pre-enlistment occupation in the cotton industry until he retired in the position of Training Manager.
In retirement, Harry was a member of the Bolton Veterans Club, a keen photographer, a part-time Museum Guide and of course a DIY man and a keen traveller. During his service, he had been billeted in various countries with civilian families and made friends.
He kept in contact and travelled to the continent to meet with them and they reciprocated. His daughter Naomi is still in touch with some of them.
His wife Freda pre-deceased him about four years ago. He fell off a ladder whilst carrying out a repair on the garage aged 88 and injured his spine. He spent the rest of his life until his death on the 9th September 2012, aged 93 years in a wheelchair.
