Gerald Francis Hadow was born in Scarborough in 1895, the son of Colonel A de S Hadow of the XIX Regiment of Foot (the Green Howards).
He was commisioned as a Second Lieutenant on 15th August 1914 and promoted to Lieutenant in March 1915. His first actions were at the battles of neuve Chapelle and Festubert. His death at Givenchy on 15th June 1915 was recorded at the time:
“He had reached the German barbed wire and finding he was practically alone, returned to his own trenches, which he reached untouched. Here he found his captain killed and all the other officers dead or wounded. His company went into action 180 strong and had 142 casualties. he returned to report to the C.O. and on the way, was struck on the head by a piece of shell. A captain under whom he served wrote; ‘I feel I have lost a young friend whom I had got to know and tested in perhaps the most severe time – war time – and he never failed. He was such a gallant little fellow and quite ready to die for the good cause.'”
Explore more memories from the ribbon
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Henry Manning
Vicky Hurwood visited the museum recently, amongst her stories was one about her grandfather Henry (Harry) Manning. 165485 Gunner Henry Manning enlisted on 6 September 1916. From his Service Record, he served with the Royal Army Service Corps for a year and 160 days and with the Royal Field Artillery for two years and 335 days. His service was undertaken in Salonica, but his record also indicates 75 days in South Russia, as part of the British force involved in the Russian Civil War (Britain aimed to thwart the Bolshevik revolution and was keen to control the oil reserves at Baku). Harry left Russia due to suffering from malaria. Vicky recounts that her grandfather was once wounded in the leg, recovered and was sent back to the front, here he found that his goat (which he kept for milk) had been eaten by his mates! He told stories of the wet and mud and fungi growing on his clothing. Also of great sacrifice. By luck his unit were camped on the top af a ravine, when the rains came hard. By morning the ravine had filled up and men, horses, gun carriages were all being swept away by the torrent. This all just seemed just like a story to Vicky at the time he told her this. For his service Harry was awarded the British War medal and Victory medal.
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Robert William Watson
Submitted by Jon Bemrose. Robert William Watson was the Fourth son of Alfred and Annie Watson, of 15, Ashville St., Bridlington. Before the outbreak of hostilities he was a fireman of the North Eastern Railway at Bridlington. 241608 Private Robert Watson served in the 5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment and died on 28th October 1917 aged 21. His name is inscribed on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium and on the cenotaph in Bridlington.
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Percy Perry
Information provided by Roger and Helen Raisbeck. Percy Charles Perry was born on 22 June 1886 to George and Selina Perry in Dorset, England. In 1902, at the age of 16, he joined the 5th Battalion of the Coldstream Guards at Yeovil (probably transferring to London before 1905). In 1905 he transferred to the army reserve (and enlisted again in 1914 service number 18562, Coldstream Guards). He fought at the Battle of Mons which was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in the First World War. He was wounded in action and hospitalised. He sent a photograph postcard home to his wife, Lucy, simply saying “I am first on your left [in the picture], going alright, PP”. Unfortunately he was unable to return to action and was discharged on 7 October 1915. He qualified for the 1914 Star (also known as the Mons Star) on 13 August 1914 as well as being awarded the British War medal and the Victory medal. Percy had 5 brothers, 4 of which joined the navy. One of his younger brothers, Ernest Sydney Perry, was lost in the Battle of Coronel off the coast of Chile on board HMS Monmouth on 1 November 1914. A newspaper cutting calling the Perrys a “Family of Patriots”, shows Percy in the centre flanked on either side by his brothers. Percy returned to civilian life back in England after his discharge in 1915 and encouraged his daughter Edna May Perry to knit socks for soldiers…