Walter Reginald Hart, Corporal, 186th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
Above photo: Walter Hart (1)
The 1901 census states that Walter Hart, aged eight, was living with his father, Sidney Hart and mother, Selina Hart, at Wayend Street, Eastnor, Herefordshire.
Above photo: Sydney Hart (1856-1921) (2)
Walter Hart was eight years old at the time of this census. His father’s occupation is described as “poultry dealer and market gardener”. The latter was born in Castlemorton, Worcestershire while Walter’s mother was born in Horsley, Gloucestershire.
By 1901 Walter Hart had four brothers and three sisters. Like Walter, four of his brothers and sisters had been born in Redmarley, another sibling had been born in Dymock, Gloucestershire while his eldest sibling had been born in Rawtenshall, Lancashire.
The 1911 census states that Walter Hart is still living in the parish of Eastnor with his father, mother and four of his siblings, two of which are additions to the family since the 1901 census.
His father, in this census, is described as a “greengrocer and poultry dealer while Walter Hart is described as “butcher’s assistant”.
Above photo: S. Hart & Sons (3)
Above photo: Walter Hart “butcher’s assistant” (4)
In 1914, Walter Hart marries Susan Alice Baker who was born in Tupsey, Herefordshire in 1896. The marriage was registered in Hereford.
Above photo; Walter Hart and Alice Susan Hart (5)
Prior to her marriage, the 1911 census states that Alice Baker was working as a housemaid (domestic) along with five others of that description for Frederick Bulmer, “manufacturer (cider)” in a house of 15 rooms (including kitchen). Frederick Bulmer, at this time, was living in Credenhill, Herefordshire. It is more than likely that in the course of her domestic duties she would have crossed paths probably on a daily basis with Oscar Bulmer, a son of Frederick Bulmer, who was born in 1913 and whom is also commemorated on the Pembridge War Memorial, having been killed in the 2nd World War.
In 1915, Alice Susan Hart gave birth to a daughter, Beatrice Winnifred and also, in August 1917, another daughter, Dorothy Selina Hart.
In 1915, Walter Hart enlisted at Malvern in The Royal Field Artillery.
“During the First World War a whole new form of artillery was developed to meet the unusual conditions of war on the Western Front: the trench mortar. The lighter weapons being manned by the infantry, the Royal Field Artillery provided the manpower for the heavier mortars.
The Royal Field Artillery was the largest arm of the artillery. It was responsible for the medium calibre guns and howitzers deployed close to the front line and was reasonably mobile. It was organised into brigades, attached to divisions or higher formations.” (6)
Walter Hart served with D Battery, 186th Brigade, 39th Division which proceeded to France in February 1916.
On 30th June, 1916, the Brigade was in action in an attack at Richebourg L’Avoue and suffered heavy casualties.
Above photo: An 18 pounder in action on The Somme (Wikipedia)
The Brigade then saw action during the Battles of The Somme including the fighting on the Ancre and the Battle of Thiepval Ridge -
Above photo: Royal Field Artillery, Thiepval Ridge (IWM)
Also, at the Battle of The Ancre Heights and the capture of Scwaben Reddoubt.
Above photo: Artillery bombardment, Scwaben Redoubt (IWM)
In 1917, the 186th Brigade participated in the Battle of Pilkem Ridge …
Above photo: Battle of Pilkem Ridge, Gunners of the Royal Field Artillery jacking and hauling a field gun out of the mud. North of Ypres, 2 August 1917 (IWM)
...and the Battle of Languemarck, the Battle of The Menin Road Ridge, the Battle of Polygon Wood and the Second Battle of Passchendaele.
Above photo: Royal Field Artillery 2nd Battle of Passchendaele 1917 (IWM)
It is not clear as to precisely where Walter Hart lost his life, the 2nd Battle of Passchendaele having ended on 11th November 1917, a month before Walter Hart was killed in action which was on 11th or 12th December. Probably, given that he was in the Royal Field Artillery and therefore not directly on the front line, he, like most soldiers who were killed in action, probably died from an exploding artillery shell.
Above photo: A postcard sent to Walter Hart’s cousin one month before he died (7)
At the date of Walter Hart’s death, his wife, Alice was residing at Market Street, Kington. So, it is more than likely that, prior to Walter Hart enlisting, he was living there also.
From 22nd July 1918, Alice Hart was receiving a war widow’s and dependants pension for her two children which totalled 26s 8d. At some point after her husband’s death, she was residing at Wellon Farm, Broxwood, Pembridge.
In January 1920, Alice Hart married Charles Henry Gladwyn who, in the 1911 census, was working as a woodman in Mordiford, Herefordshire. Her pension, upon remarriage, would have been revoked. After the marriage, Charles Gladwyn took up residence at Market Street, Kington.
In the 1939 census, Alice Gladwyn and her second husband were living at Marston Hall, Kington, Herefordshire. She was employed as a gatekeeper and her husband, Charles Gladwyn was working as “platelayer permanent”. His job was to maintain the railway line.
Walter Reginald Hart is buried at Oxford Road Cemetery, Belgium.
Above photo: Oxford Road Cemetery, Belgium (CWGC)
“Oxford Road was the name given to a road running behind the support trenches, from a point west of the village of Wieltje south-eastwards to the Potijze-Zonnebeke road. Plot I is the original Oxford Road Cemetery and was used by the units fighting on this front from August 1917 to April 1918. (CWGC).
Also, Walter Hart is commemorated on a gravestone along with two of his brothers, Joseph and Allen, who were also killed in the First World War at St John the Baptist Churchyard, Eastnor.
Above photo: Walter Hart’s commemoration at St John The Baptist Church, Eastnor, Ledbury (8)
Furthermore, the three brothers are commemorated on the war memorial inside the church.
Above photo: War Memorial, St John The Baptist Church Eastnor (9)
Joseph Hart was killed in action at Salonika and Allen Hart was killed in action in Italy.
Above photo: Joseph Sydney Hart (1887-1918) (10)
Walter Hart’s mother, Selina Hart, died at Castlemorton, 1927, his father having died six years earlier.
Above photo: Selina Hart (11)
As a footnote -
“Two other Hart brothers served in WW1:
Francis Victor Hart, born in 1893 at Redmarley, served as a gunner in the Royal Field Artillery. He arrived in France on the 31st March 1915 and was discharged on the 25th April 1916. Francis took his own life on the 8th September 1934.
Gordon Seymour Hart, born 28th July 1894 at Redmarley, served as a sergeant, 5th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry and then in 1st King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. He died on 7th March 1963 having suffered lung problems throughout his life due to being gassed during WW1.” (Courtesy of Simon Hart)
Rory MacColl
Sources
1/ https://www.ancestry.co.uk/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/50218879/person/20288219676/media/8a3cd7f2-654d-44ff-a247-e3c30c36c796?_phsrc=Vec2633&_phstart=successSource
2/ https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/27358651/person/5041014864/facts
3/ https://www.ancestry.co.uk/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/27358651/person/12000376711/media/7f8c3806-ef3f-4c0a-afba-58a58f5dec93?_phsrc=Vec2638&_phstart=successSource
4/ https://www.ancestry.co.uk/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/50218879/person/20288219676/media/d1c8c0a9-e10d-49fd-a937-609c99c9f447?_phsrc=Vec2639&_phstart=successSource
6/ https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/unit/134428/royal-field-artillery/timeline
7/ https://www.ancestry.co.uk/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/20937884/person/1003091713/media/d7b0f151-900f-4d4c-a3f4-fe1177586ba4?_phsrc=Vec2635&_phstart=successSource
8/ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/search?firstname=Walter&middlename=Reginald+&lastname=Hart&birthyear=&birthyearfilter=&deathyear=1917&deathyearfilter=&location=Eastnor%2C+Herefordshire+Unitary+Authority%2C+Herefordshire%2C+England&locationId=city_415424&memorialid=&mcid=&linkedToName=&datefilter=&orderby
9/ https://www.eastnorchurch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CHURCH-GUIDE-BOOK-final.pdf
10/ https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/50218879/person/20288218288/facts
11/ https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/50218879/person/20288214623/facts