Harry Hart
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Father: George Hart, born in 1864 in Nottingham and working as a chimney sweep. Mother: Amelia Hart, born in 1868 in Nottingham and working as a lace hand. Harry Hart had four brothers; George, born in 1900, Ernest, born in 1905, Frederick, born in 1909 and Thomas, born in November 1910. He also had three sisters; Lillie, born in 1887 and working as a lace finisher, Elizabeth, born in 1894 and working as a hosiery hand and Eliza, born in 1898. All the children were born in Nottingham. The family lived at 7 Belvoir Terrace, Bunbury Street, Nottingham before moving to 63 Henry Street Sneinton, Nottingham.
Following training Hart was drafted to France. The battalion took up trenches at Foncquevillers and prepared for the attack that was to be launched on Gommecourt on July 1,1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. The previous week had seen a no stop artillery barrage on the German lines and it was thought that there would be few survivors when the attack went in. At 7.30 a.m. the &th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters moved into No Man's Land and formed four waves. As they advanced it became evident that the Germans had survived the bombardment and the battalion was met by shell and machine gun fire. Very quickly all the officers had gone down and great gaps were torn in the lines, but the men continued to move forward. When they were seventy yards from the German lines they could see that few gaps had been blown in the wire. Despite the hopelessness of the situation the men still advanced. Some reached the German second line, but were quickly bombed back into No Man's Land. At roll call that evening only 96 men were present. Hart was reported missing and it was not until 1917 that his death was confirmed. His body was recovered and he was buried at Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery, Foncquevillers.
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