| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Harold Danby was born in Beverley Apr 1894, the son of William and Clara Danby of Beckside. Harold was one of five sons. Harold’s army documents state he was a “farm servant” and in 1911 was working as a horseman on a farm at Wilfholme near Kilnwick. He attended St Mary’s Boys’ School.
Harold enlisted at Beverley 6 Mar1916 and initially joined the East Yorkshire Regiment. He was then assigned to the Middlesex Regiment Transport Division. He later joined the Royal Sussex Regiment, 1/6th Cyclist Battalion before joining the Labour Corps. Harold didn't serve abroad. He eventually joined the 434th Agricultural Company of the Labour Corps in Nov 1917 who were tasked with increasing food production in the UK, shortages having become very common. He was with the 434th in the Chichester area of Sussex.
On 17 Oct 1918 whilst returning to his billet at Chichester from agricultural duties Harold “broke a blood vessel in the street and was carried to a public house (The Hornet) where he succumbed from a haemorrhage of the lungs” and died shortly afterwards. He was buried at St Nicholas’ Churchyard, Beverley on 23 Oct 1918 with full military honours.
Harold is commemorated on the Hengate War Memorial, on the East Riding Memorial in Beverley Minster and on the Grovehill Road Street Shrine.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |