Page 47 - Phonebox Magazine April 2016

Harry Coles
Sergeant and Prisoner of War
Harry Walter Coles was many things including a sergeant and Prisoner of War, having also been awarded the 1914-15 Star,
the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal. Born in Olney in April 1891, he was a local
resident who went to ght in the 2nd Battalion King’s Own Lancaster Regiment, and later fought in the second battle of Ypres. Having already been in the Army when the war broke out, and after many months of brave service, he became a Prisoner of War at the second battle of Ypres. Sadly, on 3rd December 1916, Coles died of double pneumonia. In a heart-felt letter, a fellow inmate of Coles, R.S.M. Want, of the Cheshire Regiment, wrote back home to Olney of Coles’ death:
“I suppose you have heard already through other channels of the very much regretted death of your son. I wish to assure to you that your loss is also ours, and I am merely voicing the sorrow and sympathy felt by all the prisoners of war interned here. I have known your son personally for over 18 months and under conditions far different from those of ordinary everyday life – conditions under which a man’s true character is inevitably disclosed. In my capacity as senior British soldier in this camp, I can safely say that we had no more reliable, honest, straightforward man amongst our number than Sergeant Coles. He was always ready and anxious to support any movement for the welfare of others. He was a very familiar man with all in the camp, having many friends amongst our French comrades in misfortune.
“As an instance of the esteem in which he was held, on the morning following his death, the German Sergeant-Major assembled each barrack separately and announced the
Great War Remembrance
The First World War brought immeasurable tragedy to families across the UK, who lost their sons, husbands and fathers to the trenches.
Here, we continue to publish the names of the fallen, from
our local war memorials, exactly 100 years ago to the month.
Having worked with the Royal British Legion, we have the names of the men, alongside their unit and rank, below.
Royal British Legion
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age Shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.
sad news, causing it to be given out in both French and English how much he himself and the other Germans acquainted with him regretted his death. The German Sergeant- Major said he held your son as an example to all present of a true soldier and gentleman.” It is heart-warming to read such an important, historical letter sent home from the war about local resident, Harry Walter Coles, and to see how he was praised for his service and manner.
Name
Horace Lovell Bert J Ward Horace Sargent Amos Lovell William Pettitt Lionel Hopkins
Date of Death Age
19/04/16 19 20/04/16 21 20/04/16 18 27/04/16
28/04/16 21 29/04/16 21
Rank
Private Private Private Private Private Private
Unit
8th Btn, Beds Regiment
8th Btn. Beds Regiment
8th Btn, Beds Regiment
5th Btn, Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry 3/4th Btn, Oxon & Bucks Light Infantry 1/10th (T.F.) Btn, Middlesex Regiment.
Memorial
Turvey
Olney
Turvey Hanslope Newport Pagnell Turvey
April 2016 | Phonebox Magazine 47