Harold Darke
Memorial: Kingswood - Holy Trinity Church
Regiment: Gloucestershire Regiment
Medals: 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Silver War Badge, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Private 4533
Parents: Samuel and Martha Anne Darke
Home address: 26 South Road, Kingswood, Bristol
Pre-war occupation: Worked for Douglas Brothers Motor Cycle Manufacturers in Bristol
Date of birth: 1897
Place of birth: Kingswood, Bristol
Date of death: 19/07/1916
Buried/Commemorated at: No known burials site but commemorated at Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, Kingswood Holy Trinity Memorial and Kingswood High Street Boys School Memorial.
Age: 18
Further information:
Harold was born in Kingswood, a middle child of nine with five sisters and three brothers. His father was a bootmaker, who later worked as a commercial traveller. Harold attended Kingswood Boys School and the Merchant Venturers College in Bristol then briefly worked in the motor industry before enlisting in the army after his 18th birthday which was towards the end of 1915.
Harold served with the 2nd/4th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. Harold died during the attack at Fromelles (19–20 July 1916) which was one of the Battles of the Somme. He was one of 2000 casualties from this offensive and was killed in action whilst advancing with the rest of his company across “No Mans Land”. He was shot through the lungs and according to his commanding officer “He died a soldier’s death fearlessly”.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
Kingswood Heritage Museum