Harold Charles Forder

A Driver with D Battery, 242nd Brigade, died on 23rd of September 1917 at the age of 18. 

Harold was born at Lowestoft on 29 March 1898, a son of Charles and Elizabeth Adaline Forder. He was baptised at Saint Peter's Church, Kirkley, on 2 November 1900, and his family lived at 86 Carlton Road. In 1901 his family lived at 5 Clement Square, Kirkley. By 1911 they were living at The Market Place, Loddon and later his mother lived at New Road, Acle, Norfolk. 

Harold was working as a labourer when he joined the Royal Navy, as a Boy 2nd Class, on 1 October 1913. He did not take to navy life and he was imprisoned for ninety days and then discharged, on 29 October 1914 'services no longer required'. 

Harold volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Norwich. He joined the Royal Field Artillery and arrived in France 30 July 1915. He served with A Battery of 243 Brigade, part of the 48th Division. On 16 October 1916 243 Brigade was broken up and subsequently Harold served with D Battery of 242 Brigade, also part of the 48th Division. 

Commonwealth War Graves records give Harold's unit as A Battery 243 Brigade, whereas the Army Register of Soldiers' Effects correctly shows the unit he was serving with when he was killed.  

The 242 Brigade War Diary for 23 September 1917 has:

5 a.m. protective barrage. Otherwise quiet except for intermittent hostile shelling. 

On that day three men of D Battery, including Harold, were killed and three wounded.  

Harold was buried at Valley Cottages Cemetery, Zillebeke, Belgium, however all of the graves, and bodies, at that cemetery were lost in subsequent fighting and the men, including Harold, are commemorated by headstones at Railway Dugouts Cemetery which, unless they carry a personalised inscription chosen by their family, have the words 'Their Names Shall Not Be Blotted Out' on their headstones. This form of words was devised by Rudyard Kipling, hence the commemoration is known as the Special 'Kipling' Memorial. In fact Harold's headstone has the words 'Rest In Peace'.