Harold Orange
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Harold was born in 1896 the son of Samuel and Eliza Orange who lived on Main Street. (However they were shown listed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as living at 132 Gordon Road, Nottingham at the time of his death). He had a brother Ernest (killed in action 30/9/1918) and two sisters Geraldine and Florence and a younger brother Leonard. In the 1911 census he is shown as being 14 years of age and a servant, farm boy, living and working at Spowage Farm in the neighbouring village of Oxton
Harold enlisted into the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards. For most of January 1917, the battalion were in Meaulte where they were trained in warfare. This included instruction in bombing, Lewis gunnery and precautions against gas attacks. Each company also went through a course of musketry and were constantly taken on route marches. The battalion then moved to Billon Camp near Maricourt at the end of January where they continued with their training. Harold's final days were spent in the trenches at Maurepas.
He is buried at Combles Communal Cemetery. Combles is a large commune approximately eight miles south of the small town of Bapaume. On his gravestone are engraved the words ""Sleep on Beloved. Sleep and take thy Rest"". Obituaries published in the Nottingham Evening Post dated 20th February 1918 read :- “ORANGE. – In loving memory of Pte. Harold Orange, late of the Grenadier Giards, killed in action February 20th, 1917. He gave his life for all. – From Mr. and Mrs. F. Hall. “ORANGE. – In ever-loving memory of our dear son and brother, Pte. Harold Orange, Grenadier Guards, killed in action February 20th, 1917. – Mother, father, sisters, and brothers (Ernest in France).” Above obituaries courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918. His brother Private 678087 Ernest Orange served with the 116 battalion Canadian Infantry, he died on 30th September 1918 and is buried in Queant Communal Cemetery, British extension grave reference C 33.
