William Edward Hardy
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
William was the son of William a coal miner and Eliza Hardy née Hayes. His father William senior was born in 1859 at Huthwaite and his mother Eliza was born in 1860 in Sutton in Ashfield. They were married in the Mansfield Registration district in March 1877. William's siblings were Charles b. 1877, Mary A b. 1879, George H b. 1881, Rachel Alice b.1893, Arthur Gladstone b. 1894, Florence Elizabeth b. 1897 and Cyril Handel Mahler b.1899. By 1911 census the family was living at Sherwood Street, Huthwaite. William married Mary Jane Bowmer in 1909 and they had three children - Thomas Edward, Aubrey and Mary Hardy. In 1911 William, Mary and Thomas Edward lived in Blackwell Road Huthwaite.
William enlisted in September, 1914 at Sutton in Ashfield. He served with the 10th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters and his medal index cards shows he first entered a theatre of war in France on 29th August 1915. He was wounded twice whilst on active service. He is buried in Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, on the Somme.
Notts Free Press - 1st September 1916 TWICE WOUNDED Private Wm. Edward Hardy, 16865, 6th. Platoon, 10th. Battalion Sherwood foresters, met his death in France on August 6th. He was 26 years of age and married, his home address being 36, King Street, Huthwaite, and he was the third son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm Hardy, Sherwood Street. Private Hardy worked at New Hucknall Colliery previous to his enlistment in September, 1914. He went to France in October of last year, and at Christmas was at home with a bullet wound in the foot, which kept him from active service about three months in all. He was again wounded in action subsequently, and eventually, as stated, news arrived that he had been killed in action. The first intimation was the following letter, dated August 13th. and went to his wife:- “Dear Friend,-just a line to let you know that your husband got killed in action, and that he did his duty like a man would do. I am very sorry it happened, and I send my deepest sympathy to you. I know it will be a very hard blow for you, but I could not save him or I would have done. There is another thing that I will tell you; he is buried all right, and I will look after his grave while I am anywhere near it. I shall never forget the last words he spoke. They were “Just let my wife know and also my little lad” and I said I would. It has upset me to lose him, and I think I will close this letter, as I cannot tell you any more, because I am down-hearted myself. Remember me to our Lizzie when you get over it. I told my wife to come up to see if you were all right.-Yours truly, H. Walters” Walters is a Sutton man whose home is in Bishop Street. The official notification arrived last Saturday morning.
