Harmon Wiles

A Private with the 2nd Battalion, Harmon died on 31st of December 1916 at the age of 28. 

Harmon was born at Barnby on 1 July 1888, a son of Noah and Matilda Wiles. In 1891 his family lived at Beccles Road, Barnby. Harmon was baptised at Saint John the Baptist Church, Barnby, on 26 August 1893, and his family lived at Barnby. Harmon attended Barnby Board School and, on 13 September 1898, became a pupil at Beccles Board School. By 1901 Harmon's father had died and he lived with his mother, and siblings, at Back Lane, Barnby. Harmon's mother remarried and then lived at Alpha Cottage, Sycamore Avenue, Oulton Broad. Harmon's sister, Beatrice Smith, lived at Maple Cottage, Sycamore Avenue, Oulton Broad. 

In 1910 Harmon enlisted in the Army at Great Yarmouth. He served with the Norfolk Regiment, number 8164. In 1911 he was serving with the 1st Battalion Norfolk Regiment at Farnborough. Harmon was in India, with the 2nd Battalion Norfolk Regiment, when the First World War began. The Battalion went straight to Mesopotamia and Harmon arrived there, with the rest of the Battalion, on 15 November 1914. 

Harmon would have been present at the Battle of Shaiba in April 1915. On 21 November 1915 the 2nd Battalion were in a night march moving into position ready for an attack at Ctesiphon at dawn on 22 November 1915. The Battalion suffered 267 casualties during the Battle of Ctesiphon, around half their fighting strength.  

On 29 November 1915 the British, including the 2nd Norfolks, were ordered to retreat to Kut-al-Amarah. The forced march lasted 46 hours and they managed to reach Kut on 3 December 1915. From 7 December the British and Indian Army garrison was besieged by the Turkish Army. 

The siege lasted 147 days and the garrison suffered terribly during that time. On 29 April 1916 the garrison surrendered. The garrison was marched into captivity at Aleppo. The War Office Daily List of 19 November 1916 reported that Harmon had been taken prisoner at Kut-al-Amarah. He died on 31 December 1916, possibly at Aleppo.