Joseph William Hart
- Family History
- Military History
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Joseph was born in 1900 at Nottingham and was the only son of William and Ellen Hart of 4 Hall Street, Sherwood. In the 1901 census the family can be found at 4 Hall Street, Sherwood and are shown as William head 24 years Ellen wife 21 years , Joseph W son 1 year , Florence daughter 7 months . By the 1911 census they are still at 4 Hall Street, Sherwood, they now have an addition to the family Ellen a daughter 1 year. The army register of soldiers effects - shows his death was officially accepted as 2nd June 1918. His father, William was his sole legatee and received - £8-8s-10d Including War gratuity of £5 - 25/9/19; ICRC - Josephs sister raised the info search, so added in family history - PA 37152 - Hart J W - Sold(at) 1 Notts U Derby Rgt. Nahere angaben fehlen (More timely information is missing) verst (died) 2/6/18 im Feldlaz. zu La Malmaison, infolge Kopfschuss (As a result of being shot in head); Hart J W; Pte 107525 Sherwood Forester, B Coy, 7 platoon, missing since 27/5/18. Rep - Miss F (lorence) M Hart, 4 Hall Street, Sherwood Nott. 13/8/18 - Disc sent in from field hospital through central effects bureau, 24/7/18, without further details. Family informed 4/10/18; Hart J W, Pte 107525 Sherwood Forester D Coy, 7 platoon, missing since 27/5/18 Franco enquete (inquiry) a Francfurt s/m. Rep - Miss F W Hart; 22/2/19 - enq a Francfort. 22/2/19 A R Faiseng 8/5/19 - rp Frankfort. S. W Hart Pte 107525, Died at 2.30pm on 2/6/18 at La Malmaison camp;
Tr/bn 71216 private Joseph William Hart enlisted in the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) on 12 February 1917 aged 17 years 361 days; His service reckoned from 25/7/17, when he attained the age of 18 years. He was 5 feet 6 inches in height and listed as a caller up on the railways. 25/7/17 - joined Depot 27/7/17 - training at Catterick 22/8/17 - Training battalion 26/9/17 - Transferred 246th Inf Bn 1/11/17 - Transferred 51st Notts and Derby 2nd to 6th March 1918 - leave. 5/4/1918 posted to BEF and 1st battalion. The 1st battalion had been involved in heavy fighting in April 1918 and were reinforced by young drafts who needed time to bed in. The battalion was in no state to fight a major battle at this time and they were moved to what Marshal Foch described as "a quiet place on the Aisne". The place was The Chemin Des Dames. At 4 am on 27th May, an officer patrol returned from the front of the 8th Division line and reported that there was no sign of any enemy activity. Half an hour later the enemy infantry which had massed with successful secrecy, left their trenches and at 5 am an officer from a front line battalions arrived at Brigade HQ and told them that his battalion HQ was surrounded by Germans. The 1st battalion were ordered up to the front line but the enemy moved forward to large numbers, leaving the Divisions no option but to yield ground inch by inch. The men fought all day and in some cases, battalions ceased to exist. At some point during this chaos, young Joseph was wounded in the head and captured. He died on 2 June 1918 at 2.30pm and was buried in the La Malmaison German Military Cemetery. There is now a Special (Kipling) Memorial at Sissone British Cemetery which reads " To the memory of these three soldiers of the British Empire who died as Prisoners of War and were buried at the time in La Malmaison German Military Cemetery, but whose graves are now lost" " Their Glory Shall Not be Blotted Out" Joseph had survived just 63 days in France.
Nottingham Evening Post obituary (abridged) 25 February 1919: HART reported missing May 27th 1918, now reported died in enemy hands at La Malmaison on the 3rd (sic), Private JW Hart, 1st Sherwood Foresters, only son of Mr and Mrs W Hart, 4 Hall Street, Sherwood. Mother, father, sisters. Commemorated in Sissonne British Cemetery (La Malmaison Special Memorial 3) Soldiers Died in the Great War - Hart Joseph William, born Nottingham, enlisted Nottingham, abode Sherwood Notts, 107525, Private, died of Wounds, France and Flanders, 2/6/18;
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