Name
Harry Albert Eversley Courteen
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
3229
Queen Victoria’s Rifles
9th (County of London) Battalion
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Harry Courteen was one of three brothers that served during the Great War. Harry served with the Queen Victoria Rifles, as did Arthur Courteen, whilst Hubert Courteen joined the Royal Flying Corps. Their parents, Henry and Louisa Courteen had four sons and two daughters, and in 1891 lived at Bottesford near Grantham. By the time of the 1911 Census the family had moved to Trent House, Rectory Road, Rickmansworth, where Henry was employed as a Consulting Engineer. It is not known how the family was linked with Abbots Langley, however the three brothers were all listed in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour throughout the War. In January 1919 Parish Magazine commentary the Vicar “welcomed home” Harry Courteen, which indicated that at some point between 1911 and 1914 the family re-located to Abbots Langley.
Harry Courteen was born in the summer of 1896 at Devizes. He was first listed in the Roll of Honour in March 1915, serving with the “Victoria Rifles” - 9th Battalion Queen Victoria’s Rifles (QVR). His Medal Roll indicated that he landed in France on 23rd May 1915, and remained there until 1st July 1916, when he was taken prisoner during the opening day of the Battle of the Somme, at Gommecourt. From December 1918 the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour recorded that Harry was a Prisoner of War in Germany, and the Vicar recorded his return to the village in January 1919.
Harry survived the War and his brothers both survived the War too. Arthur also served with the 9th QVR and may have been wounded twice in the course of the war, but survived and returned home in May 1919. Hubert Courteen joined the Royal Flying Corps and survived the War.
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
