Hambridge

Harry George Hambridge

Appears as:

Born:

Parents:

Unit:

No.:

Rank:

Died:

Grave/Memorial:

Hambridge, Harry G

1884, Sandhurst, Berkshire

William and Deborah (née Miles)

2nd Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment

L.9300

Private

29 October 1914, Belgium, age 30

Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, West Flanders, Belgium; LXI. K. 24

Biography:
Harry George Hambridge was born in July 1884 in Sandhurst, Berkshire. He was the second son and child (of six surviving) of
William George and Deborah (née Miles).

After leaving school, Harry worked as a poultryman. On enlistment, his trade was given as groom.

Harry Hambridge joined the Army in March 1908, enlisting with The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, at Guildford. He
was assigned to the 2nd Battalion. He stood 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 127 pounds and had dark brown hair. He gave his age as
21, although he was actually 23.

From October 1910 until October 1912, the 2nd Battalion was stationed in the Imperial fortress colony of Gibraltar. From October
1912 to January 1914, it was stationed in the Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda, as the regular infantry battalion of the Bermuda
Garrison. While in Bermuda, the Edison Studios filmed ‘The Relief of Lucknow’ and ‘For Valour’ there and was provided
extensive support from the garrison, with parts of Prospect Camp providing sets, and personnel from the 2nd Battalion appearing
as extras.

Harry’s service record lists the following positions which he held: Sergeants Mess Cook 1910, Company Cook 1911, Cowman
Government House Bermuda 1912, Regimental Dairy 1913. Assessment of character “Knowledge of cows and horses.
Hardworking trustworthy man. Honest and sober, good company.”

The 2nd Battalion was in South Africa when war broke out; they landed at Zeebrugge as part of the 22nd Brigade in the 7th
Division in October 1914 for service on the Western Front.

Harry disembarked on 4 October 1914 and took part in the First Battle of Ypres. He was killed on 29 October 1914 and is buried
in grave LXI. K. 24 within the Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, West Flanders, Belgium.

Harry’s sister, Monica, following the death of her first husband through illness, married John Alexander Field, who is also
commemorated on the St John’s Memorial.

Tyne Cot Cemetery is located in an area which was known as the Ypres Salient where Commonwealth,
French, Belgian and German forces fought almost continuously throughout the First World War.

In 1917, British forces launched the Third Battle of Ypres; on 4 October, during the phase known as the
Battle of Passchendaele, the 3rd Australian Division captured a group of German bunkers.

One of these bunkers was unusually large and was used as an advanced dressing station after its capture.
From 6 October 1917 to the end of March 1918, 343 graves were made, on two sides of it, by the 50th
(Northumbrian) and 33rd Divisions, and by two Canadian units.

Tyne Cot Cemetery, designed by Sir Herbert Baker, was greatly enlarged after the Armistice when
remains were brought in from the battlefields of Passchendaele and Langemarck, and from a few small
burial grounds. It is now the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world in terms of burials. At the
suggestion of King George V, who visited the cemetery in 1922, the Cross of Sacrifice was placed on the
original large pill-box.

There are now 11,961 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated
in Tyne Cot Cemetery. 8,373 of the burials are unidentified.

Harry George Hambridge is also commemorated on the memorial in Woking Town Square and on the Goldsworth Nursery Memorial.