Harry Valentine Freestone

A Private with the 9th Battalion, Harry died on 20th of November 1917 at the age of 38. 

Harry was born at Lowestoft in 1879, a son of George Henry and Harriet E. Freestone. In 1881 his family lived at 20 Clapham Road, Lowestoft, and by 1891 at 2 Jacob’s Street. In 1901 they lived at 96 Haward Street and Harry was a leather merchant’s assistant. Later his family lived at 241 Raglan Street. 

On 2 April 1904 Harry married Ethel Clara Capps at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft. Harry was a shop assistant living at 96 Haward Street, and Ethel lived at 36 Stanford Street. In 1911 they lived at 36 Stanford Street, and Harry was a shop assistant working for a leather merchant. 

Harry enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 35057. He was posted to France to serve with the 9th Battalion. 

On 19 November 1917 the 9th Battalion moved into assembly positions in readiness for an attack, with tanks, on the Hindenburg Line, north of Beauchamp, to be made the next day. Early on the 20th the battalion formed up ‘in tank formation’ immediately to the rear of the two tanks sections working with them. The tanks were to the rear of the British support line between Argyle Road and Barricade Road. Assembly was completed by 1 a.m. and the men slept in their positions. The tanks and the men moved forward at 6.10 a.m. and the supporting barrage commenced at 6.20 a.m. The men moved with the tanks, through the British wire and within 200 yards of Plush Trench. Soon afterwards two tanks were put out of action, and other lost direction. D Company was able to pass through the Hindenburg Line wire. The enemy’s retaliatory barrage was weak, but concentrated and a portion of D Company was caught in this fire and sustained several casualties. A Company dealt with Plush Trench and the rest of the battalion, and the remaining tanks, passed through to attack the main Hindenburg Line. 

At 9.05 a.m. it was reported that the battalion’s objective had been captured and that the enemy resistance had been feeble and casualties’ light. Half of C Company then moved with the tanks toward Marcoing. They were joined by other elements of the battalion and attacked Marcoing where the enemy offered little resistance. The elements of the battalion that had moved forward to Marcoing rejoined the rest of the battalion, in the Hindenburg Line front system, about 3.50 p.m. During the day the battalion had captured about 150 prisoners, including three officers, and captured three machine guns. 

The battalion’s casualties were:
Officers: three wounded
Other ranks: 8 killed, 56 wounded

Harry was killed in action on 20 November. Red Cross records show that his body was found at Noyelles and buried by German soldiers, but his grave was subsequently lost.   

Harry’s brother Arthur served with the Canadian Mounted Rifles and died in 1917.