Hi all I can't seem to locate Harold's military records. I know he enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery 42nd Brigade around 1911/12. And was killed on the 15th April 1918 when his battery was hit. He's buried at Chocques Cemetery, France along with others from the same Battery, as well as a padre who was visiting at the time. I believe Harold's service number was 6464 or 64640.Tia
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01-02-2022, 8:44 PM #1
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Harold R Sharplin Military Records
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01-02-2022, 10:14 PM #2
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There is an entry for Harold R Sharplin, Gunner, service number 64640 in the Royal Fusiliers. Next of Kin: Caroline Sharplin. However there is another entry for Harold Roymond Sharplin showing a death date of 12 May 1918, this one shows Caroline and also a child, Harold John. It looks like his records may be on Fold 3. Not sure though.
Register of Soldiers Effects: Harold Raymond Sharplin, died 15.04.1918 in Action France. Gunner 64640. To Caroline his widow
You probably have al this info already.
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01-02-2022, 11:31 PM #3
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Thanks Sue, no I never knew Harold was married, and yes Raymond was his middle name
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01-02-2022, 11:58 PM #4
Harold Raymond Sharplin
Marriage Age 21
Birth Date about 1892
Marriage Date -10 Aug 1913
Marriage Place -Holy Trinity, Woolwich, Greenwich, England
Father - Thomas Sharplin
Spouse - Caroline West
As Sue has found for you there is Harold's register of soldiers effects record and also his
Medal Roll index card survives and shows he joined up in 1914 and at some stage he was awarded two clasps.
I can't see a service record for him so it looks as if it was amongst the 60% plus of WW1 records that were destroyed by bombing/fire/water in WW11.
Because you know what regiment he was in you may be able to find a war diary for them on The National Archives site here. This will give you a general idea of where he was at the time of death and before. It is highly unlikely you will find any mention of Harold as they tend to concentrate on Officers doings unless the 'ordinary' soldier did something extraordinary.
ChristinaSometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
William Burroughs
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02-02-2022, 1:50 AM #5
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Sorry to be pedantic, but this isn't what the medal card says.
He first disembarked in a theatre of war on 19 Aug 1914, which is different to joining up in 1914. Anyone landing in France that soon after the start of the war would already be a serving soldier, or already discharged but still in the reserves. This is confirmed by Harold's 1913 marriage, which gives his occupation as 'soldier'.
Also he didn't receive two clasps - he was awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp, which was awarded to men who had served under fire or within range of enemy artillery in France or Belgium between 5 Aug and 22 Nov 1914.
The card shows he was in 42 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, so you should be able to locate the war diaries at the National Archives as suggested. Alternatively you can view them on Ancestry as follows:
UK, World War I War Diaries (France, Belgium and Germany), 1914-1920 > 3rd Division > Piece 1401
These show that at the outbreak of war the Brigade was ordered to mobilise at Bulford, and embarked for France from Southampton between 8pm on 17th August and 10am on 18th (four ships in total), disembarking at Rouen on the 19th.
The Soldiers Effects record shows he was in 41 Battery, 42 Brigade RFA, and the war diary entry for 15th April 1918 states: "3.15pm Burst of fire on 41st Bty, causing casualties. x"
There is then a note in the margin corresponding to the x "RSO O Creighton C of E Chaplain to 3rd D.a. killed on 15/4/18 at 41st Bty position. 3 O.R's 41st Bty killed, 3 O.R's wounded - at the same time 15/4/18.
Rev. O Creighton was Rev. Oswin Creighton, and there is a book 'Letters of Oswin Creighton" that you can read/download from the Internet Archive (archive.org). Early chapters cover his time in Gallipoli, but from Chapter X (page 160) it covers his time in France with the 3rd Division right up to his death, of which the book says: "Oswin volunteered to undertake the organisation of the burying of the men for the whole front. He did not live to carry out this task. He had gone up to a battery position, and had just greeted the men in his usual cheery way, and was preparing to enter the hut when a shell burst, killing instantaneously him and the three men with whom he was talking."
Harold Raymond Sharplin was almost certainly one of these men.
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02-02-2022, 2:15 AM #6
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I've only had Fold3 for a short time so I'm still familiarising myself with the pensions records I'm afraid, but looking at the record relating to Harold it says his son - Harold John - was born 25 Oct 1913 and the next column headed "expiry" is dated 25/10/2029, ie Harold Jr's 16th birthday.
The pension granted was 20/5 (20 shillings & 5 pence) per week from 4 Nov 1918, although it looks like a payment of £5 was authorised on 14 May 1918.
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02-02-2022, 2:31 AM #7
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