Anthony John Harley
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Anthony John Harley was born in 1893 in Hucknall and was the son of Daniel a coal miner and Lucy Harley née Dale of 15 Victoria Street, Hucknall. His father was born in 1872 in Whitwick, Leicestershire and his mother in 1874 in Hucknall , they were married in 1892, their marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration area , they went on to have 7 children 1 of whom Loiusa died in infancy their surviving children all born in Hucknall were Daniel b1895, John b1896, Albert b1903, Lucy b1906 and Jane Harley b1906 In the 1911 census the family were living at 15 Victoria Street Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire, and were shown as Daniel 39 yrs a coal miner , he is living with his wife Lucy Ann 37 yrs and their children , Anthony John 18 yrs a coal miner, Daniel 16 yrs a coal miner John 15 yrs a pony driver, Albert 8yrs Lucy 5 yrs and Jane 5 yrs. Anthony John married Mabel England at the parish church of Hucknall on 28th August 1913 and lived at 45 Victoria Street, Hucknall. They went on to have a daughter Louie born 4th December 1914. Following his death , Mable married James Butler and they lived at 18 Carlingford Road, Hucknall.
Lance Corporal Anthony John Harley enlisted on 18th March 1915 at Hucknall he gave his age as 22 yrs 353 days and his address as 45 Victoria Street, Hucknall his next of kin was his wife Mabel Harley of the same address. He served with the 7th battalion North Staffordshire Regiment and landed in Gallipoli taking part in the landings at Sulva Bay, he was wounded and returned to Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol hospital. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 4th March 1916, and later transferred to 1st Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment and was killed in action on 30th April 1916. on the Western Front he was buried in Dranoutre Military Cemetery, Belgium grave reference I D 18
An article published 20th January 1916 in the Hucknall Dispatch :- Recovering from wounds and sickness respectively at Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol, the recollections of Hucknall Gallipoli veterans L/Cpl. Anthony Harley [1] and Pte. Frank Braddock [2], were reported in the local press on 20th January 1916. Harley compared the geography on the peninsula to “the stiffest part of Misk Hills.” “The second photograph is of Lance-Corporal Anthony J. Harley, who was one of the stalwarts to land at Suvla Bay, being in the 7th North Staffs. Regiment. After an experience which can never be forgotten, he has just returned to his home in Allen street, Hucknall. From a conversation with the soldier, we gathered that he spent eight weeks on the Peninsula, eight weeks of great hardship and desperate fighting. The landing alone cost them many lives, and as they moved forward into the country they encountered the foe in great numbers. He even occupied a trench only 25 yards from the Turks, who were not, in his opinion, of good fighting qualities when they came to close quarters; in fact, it was an easy matter to overcome them with the bayonet. All such places as the Dead Man’s Gully, Chocolate Hill, Lone Pine, Queen’s Post, Hills 971 and 10 are all familiar to Harley, who describes their steepness by referring to the stiffest part of Misk Hills. In those hills the Turks had burrowed holes like rabbits, and they actually ran guns out on little rails to discharge shot and then pulled them back again, evidently the notion of Germans. They have all the trickery of the Huns, as is shown by the following circumstances. Our troops had discs on their backs and white bands round their arms as a guide to our artillerymen a distance off. Another day they found the Turks with the same badges, having taken them from our fallen heroes. Thus there was a good deal of difficulty, and maybe losses to our men. The losses were, and to show the nature of the conflict Harley states that 1,100 men attacked at one hill and only 250 came back. At the end of eight weeks, Harley sustained wounds in the leg, chest and right hand, and being scarcely able to walk on account of dysentery, he was sent off to Cottoria Hospital at Malta. In due course he was sent to Beaufort Hospital, Bristol. “The third photograph is of Private Frank Braddock, of the Army Ordnance Corps, who has undergone similar hardships to Harley on the Peninsula, and, after [illegible] weeks also fell ill with dysentery, being sent to St. Andrew’s Hospital, Malta. It was little wonder that so many men fell victim to this disease, for the food and water were scarce, even a permit having to be obtained for the latter at one stage – whilst a wash was seldom obtained, and a change never, some men actually fighting in knickers, so tattered was their khaki. To add to their horrors, dead bodies were discovered six inches below the ground where they had fixed their stores marquee, and to show how complete had been the slaughter those which were unearthed could not be recognised whether belonging to the British or the Turks. As regard [to] the fighting, Braddock relates that some 250 of our men were advancing through bushes about three feet high when the Turks shelled them, and the growth being ignited the men were practically roasted alive with the exception of one who had turned back for water. It may be mentioned that Braddock enlisted last Whitsuntide, trained at Dover and went out to the Dardanelles early in September. Though the Hucknallites were not in the same hospital at Malta, they were both sent to the Beaufort Hospital, Bristol, of which they speak most highly, the nurses being excellent, and the citizens generous beyond description. Presents galore were handed to them, free motor trips indulged in, and invitations extended to pictures and pantomimes. A home touch was given their home touch at Bristol for they were visited there by Mr. Shepherd, a former resident of Hucknall, and a brother of Mrs. Joseph Hobbs. Our local warriors speak of him in the warmest terms, and could not wish to meet a jollier fellow.” 1] After recovering, L/Cpl. Anthony John Harley transferred to 1st Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment and was killed in action on 30th April 1916. Buried in Dranoutre Military Cemetery, [2] Pte. Frank Braddock landed with the Army Ordnance Corps in Egypt on 16th September 1915. Above is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
