Biography of Acting Sergeant Harold Fortescue (11885)
8th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment
Died 26th September 1915

Soldier

  • Name: Harold Fortescue
  • Date of birth: 1893
  • Place of Birth: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
  • Date of Birth Registration: January – March 1893
  • Place of Birth Registration: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Father

  • Name: George Fortescue
  • DOB: 1866
  • Place of Birth: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
  • Occupation:  Chemical worker

Mother

  • Name: Hannah Butler
  • DOB: 1871
  • Place Of Birth: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
  • Marriage: 1891 Nottingham District

Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB)

  • Arthur Fortescue, 1891, Nottingham
  • Harold Fortescue, 1893, Nottingham
  • John Thomas Fortescue, 1895, Nottingham
  • Percy Fortescue, 1896, Nottingham
  • Goerge Fortescue, 1899, Nottingham
  • William fortescue, 1900, Attenborough
  • Hannah Fortescue, 1904, Attenborough
  • Harry Fortescue, 1906, Shardlow
  • Tom Fortescue, 1908, Leeds
  • Amy Fortescue, 1910, Nottingham

Census

  • 1901: Harold is living with his parents at Attenborough, Nottinghamshire.
  • 1911: Harold is living with his parents at 13 Lacey Street, Widnes, Lancashire. The census gives him an age of 18 and he is listed as a chemical worker.
Relatives in services

  • None found

Marriage

  • No marriage for Harold has been found and because of his age we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Newspaper Mentions

  • War Office Casualty Lists 23rd October 1915
    N.C.O’S and MEN
    Lincolnshire Regiment, 8th Battalion
    Missing
    Fortescue, 11885 Sergeant H.

 

  • Sheffield Daily Telegraph Tuesday 2nd November 1915
    MISSING
    8th LINCOLNS
    Fortescue (11885), Sergt, H.

 

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 6th November 1915
    LINCOLNSHIRE OFFICERS’ CASUALTIES.
    Casualties are reported as follows among officers of the Lincolnshire Regiment:-
    8th Battalion
    Fortescue 11885 Sergt. H

 

  • North Bucks Times and County Observer Tuesday 9th November 1915
    MISSING
    LINCOLNSHIRE REGT., 8th BN.
    Fortescue, 11885 Sgt., H.

 

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 8th July 1916
    LOCAL CASUALTIES
    Previously reported missing now reported Killed
    Fortescue 11885 Sergt. H.

Military Records

Attestation Papers

  • None found

Soldier’s Died In The Great War

  • These records show that A. Sergeant Harold Fortescue, 11885, 8th Bn Lincolnshire Regiment was killed in action on 26th September 1915 in the Western European Theatre in France and Flanders.

Pension Records

  • Available

Effects Left To

  • Father George

Medals

  • The British Medal
  • The Victory Medal
  • The 15 Star

Memorials

  • UK:
  • Bourne, Bourne War Memorial in the Memorial Gardens

 

  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
  • In memory of Serjeant Harold Fortescue, 11885, 8th Bn., Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 26 September 1915 Age 22
  • Son of George and Hannah Fortescue, of 26, Brighton St., Nottingham
  • Remembered with honour, Loos Memorial
  • Panel 31 to 34.

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

Military Service Timeline

  • Enlisted in Bourne

 

  • This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

Sources

  • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
  • British Newspaper Archive.
  • Fold 3
  • Find My Past
  • Genealogist
  • Forces War Records
  • British Army Service Numbers
  • War Gratuity Calculator
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  • National Archives – Battalion War Diaries
  • General Registry Office