2nd Lt
Harold Thorne Speares
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 29/09/1896 |
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Place of birth: Rathdrum, County Wicklow, Ireland |
Army information
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Country: Northern Ireland, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Second Lieutenant |
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Service number: / |
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Units: — Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 10th Bn. (Derry) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 16/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Capricorn Trench, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 20 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 70A |
Distinctions and medals 3
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1914-15 Star Medal — 09/09/1920 |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
Harold Thorne Speares, son of John and Edith Speares was born in 1896 in Rathdrum, Ireland. Early 1915, Harold enlisted into the army, and although he initially was a Private, by his death in 1917, Harold was ranked at 2nd lieutenant. Harold joined the 10th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and was in the 109th Brigade of the 36th Division.
In August 1917, Harold’s Battalion was stationed on the frontline just North of Frezenberg. The 36th Division, which has already faced severe casualty rates due to artillery fire over the last few weeks was involved in the assault. Due to depleted numbers and the ground conditions being poor and boggy, the Division struggled to make ground. The preliminary barrage hadn’t been able to take care of the German blockhouses and the men ran right into the relentless German machine-gun fire, coming from Corn Hill and Pond Farm.
In a desperate attempt to silence the German strongpoints all able men were sent forward. Corn Hill was eventually captured, but the high amount of casualties made any further advance impossible and the men dug in. The 10th Inniskillings were in reserve during the attack. They were on the utter left of the Divisional front and occupied Spree Farm. When it became clear that the advance had been checked the Battalion was ordered to organize the defense of the old frontline at Capricorn Trench. Throughout the rest of the day the German artillery shelled the Irish positions and casualties kept stacking up. To make things worse, all first aid stations had been taken out by shell fire and the wounded couldn’t be treated. They had to be carried all the way to the hinterland.
21-year old Second lieutenant Harold Thorne Speares was killed in action on 16 August 1917, while his Battalion held Capricorn Trench. He was killed along with four soldiers. 59 men were wounded and or missing. Harold has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
In August 1917, Harold’s Battalion was stationed on the frontline just North of Frezenberg. The 36th Division, which has already faced severe casualty rates due to artillery fire over the last few weeks was involved in the assault. Due to depleted numbers and the ground conditions being poor and boggy, the Division struggled to make ground. The preliminary barrage hadn’t been able to take care of the German blockhouses and the men ran right into the relentless German machine-gun fire, coming from Corn Hill and Pond Farm.
In a desperate attempt to silence the German strongpoints all able men were sent forward. Corn Hill was eventually captured, but the high amount of casualties made any further advance impossible and the men dug in. The 10th Inniskillings were in reserve during the attack. They were on the utter left of the Divisional front and occupied Spree Farm. When it became clear that the advance had been checked the Battalion was ordered to organize the defense of the old frontline at Capricorn Trench. Throughout the rest of the day the German artillery shelled the Irish positions and casualties kept stacking up. To make things worse, all first aid stations had been taken out by shell fire and the wounded couldn’t be treated. They had to be carried all the way to the hinterland.
21-year old Second lieutenant Harold Thorne Speares was killed in action on 16 August 1917, while his Battalion held Capricorn Trench. He was killed along with four soldiers. 59 men were wounded and or missing. Harold has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 6
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"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 52-55. Sources used |
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"The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in The World War", Fox F., Uckfield, The Naval & Military Press LTD, 2009, pg. 99-102. Sources used |
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com Further reference |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3065801/speares,-harold-thorne/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/ Sources used |
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War Diary Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 10th Bn. (Derry) http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |