Born: 23 February 1878
Died: 12 April 1918
Buried:
Address: 8 Sherwood Place, Eccleshill
Parents: Thomas & Alice, nee Steyning
Spouse: Alice, nee Baines
Siblings: Four
Occupation: Stuff warehouseman
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Eccleshill, Park & St Luke’s; Ploegsteert Memorial
Children: Jack, Dora
Regiment: West Yorkshire
Harry Birch
Harry Birch was born in Bradford
on the 23rd February 1878 and was
baptised at St Peter Parish Church
on the 24th March 1878 the son of
Thomas Nicholson Birch and Alice
Maskell Steyning.
By 1881 the family were living at
505 Bolton Road and Thomas and
Alice had two sons, George born
1876 and Harry born 1878.
Thomas was working as a stuff van
driver and Alice as a dressmaker.
In 1891 the family had moved to 1
Maltkin Fold, Bolton and three
more sons had been born to them,
Louie born 1881, Arthur born 1885
and Albert born 1887.
The family were living at 85 Idle
Road in 1901. Harry now
23 years old was a stuff
warehouseman.
In 1907 Harry married
Alice Baines who was born
in Aston, Westmorland in
1850. They moved to 804
Harrogate Road,
Greengates and two
children were born to them,
Jack born 1907 and Dora
born 1909.
On the 2nd of May 1917 Harry
enlisted as Private 62039 in the
15th Battalion of West Yorkshire
(Prince of Wales Own). He was
still working as a warehouseman
and his address is given as 8
Sherwood Place, the
home of his parents.
The 15th Battalion served
on the Western Front as
infantry and on the 9th
April 1918 the German
offensive in Lys began
with the objective of
capturing Ypres and
forcing the British back
to the coastal ports. The
battle lasted until the
29th April when the Germans
called off the offensive.
Harry was killed in action on the
12th April 1918 when the German
army renewed its attack towards the
supply centre of Hazelbrouk.
He was reported missing from the
12th of April and on the 4th of May
his parents advertised in the Daily
Telegraph and the Bradford Weekly
News newspapers asking for any
information.
Harry’s body was never recovered
and he is remembered at the
Ploegsteert Memorial which
commemorates more than 11000
servicemen who died in this sector
during the First World War and
have no known grave.
His father received Harry’s effects
on the 14th October 1919 of £5. 11.
0d which included his war gratuity
of £5. 0. 0d.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks
