Private 14570, 4th Bn Coldstream Guards
Harry was a Brereton boy who lived with his parents, William and Fanny, at Ravenhill Terrace. His father was a labourer at one of the local collieries and they had ten children. At the time of the 1911 census Harry was a Grocer’s assistant. The above photo (from the May Grimley collection) shows the building of Armitage Co-op in 1911, next door to Itonia Terrace – Harry served as its first manager before enlisting in the Coldstream Guards on 15th January 1915. His brothers also seem to have joined up in 1915 as well.
Harry was wounded in the shoulder in April and was able to come home for a short time but returned to the front on 27th May. On 23rd June 1916 he was badly wounded and died at No 3 Casualty Clearing Station, just behind the front lines, a short while later. He is commemorated at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.