The edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday September 15 1917 included this picture along with the caption Gunner H R Flint, R.G.A., son of Mr. and Mrs. G. Flint, 14, Pike Lane, Thetford, killed in action on July 26th.
Gunner, FLINT, H
Service Number ………..174374
Died …………………………...26/07/1917
Unit………………………………12th Heavy Bty.,Royal Garrison Artillery
Buried………………………….Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery, Grave................................I.F.5
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/92777/flint,-/
Soldiers Died in the Great War records that Gunner Harry Flint was Killed in Action on the 26th July 1917 whilst serving with the Royal Garrison Artillery in France & Flanders. No place of birth or residence is shown. He enlisted at Thetford.
The Medal Index Card for Gunner 174374 Harry Flint, Royal Garrison Artillery, is held at the National Archive under reference WO 372/7/94650
He had previously been Gunner 170548 Royal Field Artillery.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D3504325
His Service Records do not appear to have survived the incendiary attack during the Blitz on the Warehouse where all the Army service records were stored.
No match on Picture Norfolk, the County image Archive.
As Harry Lewis Flint he is remembered on the Thetford War Memorial.
www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/Thetford.html
There is no obvious Soldiers Will or Civil Probate for this man.
1898 – Birth & Baptism…………..
The birth of a Harry Lewis Flint was registered with the Civil Authorities in the District of Hackney in London in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1898.
The baptism of a Henry Lewis Flint and a William Edward Flint, no date of birth recorded, took place in St Mary, Thetford at some point in 1900 – I suspect the original ledgers were probably either damaged or in some other way difficult to transcribe. Parents were George and Martha.
www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818ae89e93790eca39ff98...
www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818ae89e93790eca39ff98...
The most likely marriage of his parents was that of a George Bradley Flint to a Martha Dunmore which was recorded in the Holbeach District of Lincolnshire in the July to September quarter, (Q3) of 1897.
1901 Census of England and Wales
The 2 year old Harry L Fint, born Homerton, London, was recorded living at 14, Pike Lane Thetford. This was the household of his parents, George B, (aged 41, a Builders Labourer from Whittlesea, Cambridgeshire) and Martha, (aged 35, born Tottenhill, Norfolk). As well as Harry the couples other children living with them are:-
Arthur G………aged 4…..born Long Sutton, Lincolnshire
William E……..aged 1…..born Thetford
1911 Census of England and Wales
The Flint family were still living at 14 Pike Lane. Parents George Bradley, (51, General Labourer) and Martha, (43), have been married 14 years and have had 7 children, of which 6 were then still alive. Still single and living at home are:-
“Auther” George Dunmore…aged 14….born Long Sutton, Lincolnshire
Harry Lewis Flint…………..aged 12….born Homerton, London
William Edward Flint………aged 11….born Croxton, Thetford, Norfolk
Dorothy Flint……………….aged 8……born Thetford
Daisy Florence Flint………..aged 5……born Thetford
Hilda Frances Flint…………aged 3……born Thetford
Until September 1911 the quarterly index published by the General Registrars Office did not show information about the mothers maiden name. A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Birth for England and Wales 1911 – 1983 shows no likely additional children of George and Martha.
His unit………………………..
By this stage of the war the Heavy Batterys of the Royal Garrison Artillery were normally controlled at the Corps or Army level, rather than individual Divisions. Groups would be formed to take on specific tasks.
Heavy Batteries were generally armed with the 60-pounder gun, and were originally meant to be included in infantry divisions, from which they were withdrawn in February 1915. They were normally horse-drawn.
The postings of 12th Heavy Battery from 1st March 1917 to mid-July 1917 according to one forum post was:-
Date …….Heavy Artillery Group…..Relevant War Diary
13.02.17 29 HAG ……………………….WO95/219
18.03.17 28 HAG ……………………….WO95/541
30.06.17 27 HAG ……………………….WO95/471
01.07.17 70 HAG ……………………….WO95/323
05.07.17 13 HAG ……………………….WO95/387
1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/topic/234493-12th-heavy...
On the day…………………..
Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery
Location Information
Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery is located 2 Km south west of Ieper town centre, on a road called Omloopstraat, a road leading from the Dikkebusseweg.
History Information
This cemetery occupies a site at a road junction where three batteries of Belgian artillery were positioned in 1915. The cemetery was begun by the 8th Division in June 1917 after the Battle of Messines (although one grave in Plot III, Row A, predates this) and it was used until October 1918, largely for burials from a dressing station in a cottage near by. Almost half of the graves are of casualties who belonged, or were attached, to artillery units. There are now 573 First World War casualties buried or commemorated in this cemetery.
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/8900/belgian-batter...
This was the run up to the start of the Battle of 3rd Ypres, commonly known as Passchendaele, which would officially start on the 31st July. The opening barrage was well under way, with counter battery fire from the Germans being patchy. Although the Allies were winning back mastery of the air, at least in this sector, not all the German aircraft could be stopped and air raids were not infrequent. There was also the ever present danger of a mis-firing shell leading to a premature explosion.
Checking the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database, Harry appears to be the only man from the unit that died on this day.
Mildly photoshopped to minimise impact of damage present on the original source.