Harold Keatley
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Harold was born in 1895 in Birmingham and was the son of Robert David Keatley, a beer house keeper and commercial traveller, and Amy Mary Keatley, née Hawkes. His father Robert David was born in 1856 in Armagh, Ireland and died in 1910 aged 55 yrs; his death was recorded in the Basford Registration District. His mother Amy Mary Hawkes was born in 1861 in Birmingham. They were married on 21st July 1884 at the parish church of St Thomas in Birmingham and they went on to have 10 children, sadly one died in infancy. Their surviving children were, Eleanor Mary b1885 Birmingham, John b1887 Birmingham, Nora Diana b1889 Birmingham, Dorothy May b1891 Birmingham, Priscilla b1892 Birmingham, Harold b1895 Birmingham, Kathleen b1897 Bushmills Antrim, Ireland, Robert David b1901 Bushmills, Antrim, Ireland and Alexandra b1902 Bushmills, Antrim, Ireland. In the 1911 census the family are residing at 80 Trent Boulevard, West Bridgford and are shown as Amy Mary Keatley 50 yrs a widow and householder who is living with her children, Eleanor Mary 26 yrs a clerk in a silver warehouse, Norah Dinah 22 yrs a clerk in a silver warehouse, Dorothy May 20 yrs a clerk in a Christmas card warehouse, Priscilla 19 yrs a clerk in a Christmas card warehouse, Harold 16 yrs a clerk on the L.N.W. railway, Kathleen 14 yrs a scholar, Robert David 10 yrs a scholar, and Alexandra 9 yrs a scholar. At the time of Harold's death in 1916 the family home was at 31 Pierrepoint Road, West Bridgford.
Harold Keatley enlisted at Nottingham on 6th April 1915. He gave his address as 31 Pierrepoint Road, West Bridgford, and gave his occupation as that of a railway clerk. He was posted to the 7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters, and was embodied for war on the same date. He embarked at Southampton on 29th March 1916 landing in France the following day. He joined his unit in the field on 2nd April 1916 and was killed in action on 1st July 1916 at Gommercourt on the first day of the battle of the Somme. Harold was 21 years of age. He is buried in Gommercourt Cemetery, Foncquevillers, grave reference I.G. 3.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 25 July 1916: ‘Keatley. Killed in action on July 1st, 1916, Private Harold Keatley, Sherwood Foresters, aged 21 years, son of Amy M. and the late Robert D Keatley, 31 Pierrepont-road, West Bridgford.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 28 July 1916: ‘Keatley. Killed in action, July 1st, Private H Keatley, aged 21 years. He bravely answered duties call. Evelyn.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
