Year of birth: 1883

Place of birth: Longton, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom

Country: England, United Kingdom

Force: British Expeditionary Force

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Service number: /

Units:  —  Royal Field Artillery, 113th Bde. Ammunition Col.  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 07/10/1917

Place of death: Château Wood, Belgium

Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Age: 34

1914 Star Medal

British War Medal Medal — 01/10/1920

Distinguished Conduct Medal Medal — 17/12/1914

Mentioned in Despatches Honourable mentioning — 17/02/1915

Military Cross Medal — 26/01/1917

Victory Medal Medal — 01/10/1920

Harold William Hines was born in 1883. He was the eldest son of Mary and William Hines, a pottery manufacturer from Fenton, Staffordshire, now part of Stoke-on-Trent. When the War broke out, Harold was deployed on the Western Front on 16 august 1914. He quickly came up through the ranks, was promoted to sergeant and later to sergeant major before being commissioned on 30 July 1917. Harold had been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for conspicuous gallantry in action on the Aisne from 14 September to 14 October, and near Ypres from 21 October to 15 November, where he showed consistent gallantry in keeping up communication between the battery and the observation stations. The efficiency of his battery’s fire was largely due to his efforts. In January 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry in action, as he displayed great courage and determination in getting men and horses away without casualties under heavy shell fire. On the eve of the Battle of Passchendaele, Harold joined the 113th Army Field Artillery Brigade and was posted to the Brigade Ammunition Column.

At the end of September 1917 Harold’s Brigade came under command of the Divisional Artillery of the 7th Infantry Division. “B” and “C” Batteries moved into position near Surbiton Villas along the Menin Road, while “A” and “D” Batteries were stationed in Château Wood. The Brigade’s Headquarters were positioned at the Tuilerie near Zillebeke Lake. From these new positions the 113th Army Brigade RFA supported the 7th Division in the Polygon Wood sector.

On 7 October 1917 the Battery positions of the Brigade were subjected to heavy German shelling. Second Lieutenant Harold William Hines, 34-years old, was killed due to the shellfire on Château Wood and Surbiton Villas, leaving behind a young wife. Harold has no known grave and is remembered on panel 4 of the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Further reference

CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/836684/hines,-harold-william/ Sources used

The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used

War Diary 113th Army Field Artillery Brigade https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Further reference