Name
Charles Harpin
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/07/1917
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
124744
Royal Field Artillery
"A" Battery, 90th Brigade,
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BUS HOUSE CEMETERY
F. 12.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Until the day breaks and shadows flee away
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin War Memorial,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
He was the eldest son of Mr Charles J. and Mrs E. Harpin of 8, Grove Road, Hitchin. He had worked for Messrs Halsey & Son in Hitchin before joining the Army, having worked earlier at the Letchworth Co-operative Stores where he had served his apprenticeship.
He was born in Hitchin, was a resident there and enlisted in Hitchin in April 1916.
Wartime Service
Charles was given the Regimental Number 124744. He went to France in July 1916 serving in ‘A’ Battery of the 90th Brigade in the Royal Field Artillery. He was killed in action by a bursting shell in Belgium and his place of burial would seem to be close to where the 90th Brigade were positioned immediately south of Hooge.
The above extract is probably only partially correct as there does not appear to have been a 90th Brigade in the Royal Field Artillery. However, there was a 90th Infantry Brigade serving as part of the 18th (Eastern) Division south of Hooge at the time of his death. The 90th Infantry Brigade was served by the 82nd and 83rd Brigades Royal Field Artillery with ‘A’ Battery in each case equipped with 18 pounder guns. Both Brigades suffered considerable casualties about the 22nd July 1917 as the shelling prior to the opening of Third Ypres (Passchendaele) on the 31st July 1917 reached its climax.
He was buried in Row F, Grave 11 in the Bus House Cemetery in Belgium. This cemetery is in Voormezele and is named after a London omnibus which had broken down while taking troops to the front late in 1914.
Additional Information
There is a private inscription on the stone which probably reads: "Until the day breaks and shadows flee away".
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild