The Army Bible with an Inscription.

We have over the years of this project looked at the service of a great number of people from the town who served in the Forces, or as in the case of a number of women, as nurses – in all cases, both at home and overseas. While this work is largely concerned with those from Goole, there are a number of additional names that have been brought forward to us by people whose relatives also served but who had no connection to the town when they themselves were serving – in some cases they moved to the town later, in others it was a later generation that arrived in the town; in a smaller number of cases there is no link between them and Goole, we have been purely asked if we can help somebody who has some idea as to a relative’s service but doesn’t know where to start in looking at this aspect of their family history. The story below is one of the latter, though the ‘name’ came to us in an unusual way.

Earlier this year, at a local auction, and within a box contain numerous other items that were known to have come from the Isle of Axholme was an Army Bible. On the front fly page is inscribed, in pencil ‘In remembrance of Col Belcher Killed June 1917’. So, with this name and date a search was started to determine what could be found to tell his story.

Using the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website it was shown that ‘Col Belcher’ was Lieutenant-Colonel Harold Thomas Belcher DSO, and despite the entry within the Bible, he died on 8th July 1917. At the time of his death he was serving with 52nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery and was buried in the extension section of Dickebusch New Military Cemetery and Extension.

Used by permission from a family tree on ancestry

Harold Thomas Belcher was born on 17th March 1875 in Thorpeness, Suffolk to Thomas Hayes and Annie Belcher, being baptised in Preston-next-Faversham, Kent on 26th April. Thomas was their oldest child, the others being Arthur Hayes, Ethel Mary, Margaret Elaine, Eva Nearne, Raymond Douglas and Gordon. Their father in 1891 is a Cleric in Holy Orders and the Headmaster of Brighton College.

After being home-school by a governess he attended Brighton College before his entry to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, where, as a keen sportsman he won the long jump in 1894, later competing in that event in representing Woolwich against Sandhurst. As well as athletics, Harold was a fearless rider and keen on hunting and polo, being a member of the Vine Hunt of Hampshire and often rode in Royal Artillery point-to-point races. Harold was ‘gazetted’ to the rank of Second-Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on 15th June 1895 after passing-out from the Royal Military Academy. His service over the next three years cannot be fully determined, but on 15th June 1898 he was promoted to Lieutenant.

In 1899 Harold, then serving with 69th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, arrived in South Africa. He was to see considerable action during operations in Natal – including Talana and Lombard’s Kop, where he was severely wounded. After returning to his unit he was at the Defence of Ladysmith, before again being in Natal for further operations, including the action at Laing’s Nek (6th-9th June 1900). He went on to serve in Transvaal from July until the end of November 1900; later to serve on the frontier of Zululand and Natal from September to October 1901.

As a result of his service in South Africa Harold was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal, with six clasps, for Belmont; Orange Free State; Transvaal; Talana; Defence of Ladysmith and Laing’s Nek. It is unknown when Harold left South Africa, but owing to the criteria, he didn’t qualify for the award of the King’s South Africa Medal. In the London Gazette on 27th September 1901, and being dated to 29th November 1900, Harold was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order – ‘Harold Thomas Belcher, Lieutenant, Royal Artillery. In recognition of his services in South Africa’. The Insignia, Warrant and Statues were forwarded to Commander-in-Chief, India, and presented to (now) Captain Belcher at Mooltan on 13th March 1902. The promotion to Captain was ‘gazetted’ on 9th July 1901, being from 14th June (the Army List, which also gives dates of promotion, shows 14th May).

On 3rd October 1904 Harold was appointed Adjutant, Royal Artillery, until 5th November 1907. He was to serve for a number of years in India, before on 1st February 1910 he was appointed Commander of a Company of Gentlemen Cadets, Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. This date also saw him being seconded for ‘Service on the Staff’.

On 15th March 1912 Harold was promoted to the rank of Major. It was with this rank that his command of a Company of Gentlemen Cadets ceased on 31st January 1914. It is unknown when he ended his term of Staff service, being ‘Returned to the Establishment’ on 14th February, though it may well have been tied to the former announcement.

In addition to the ranks gained and posts appointed to, Harold also held a First Class Certificate in Gunnery; was the author of a book on Field Gunnery and the inventor of a special machine for instruction in ranging for use at the Royal Military Academy.

Following the commencement of the War with Germany on 4th August 1914, Harold arrived in France on 9th September 1914. Unfortunately, it is not known as to which unit he was serving with at this time.

Lieutenant-Colonel Harold Thomas Belcher DSO

He was to serve continuously near the front line throughout until he was wounded in the Summer of 1915, which necessitated five weeks at ‘home’ for treatment and subsequent convalescence. Unlike the infantry, which only spent short periods in front line trenches on rotation, and even if in work parties near the front, they were allowed some time away from the stress, occasional bombardments, and horrors of seeing fellow comrades being killed and wounded, with the knowledge that it could be you – the same cannot be said of the Royal Field Artillery units and batteries. If they were not firing on the enemy, they may have been on the move to new positions – or preparing them; all the while dealing with enemy bombardments and counter-battery fire or just random shelling aimed at roads known to have guns and supplies moved on them.

On 2nd February 1916 Harold was appointed as Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel, this being later antedated to 20th December 1915. Full promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel came on 28th June 1916.

On 13th February 1917 the London Gazette announced the Order of St. Anne 3rd Class (with Swords) was conferred by Field-Marshall His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Russia 12th September 1916.

Lt.-Col. Belcher assumed command of 52nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery, 9th Division on or about 14th September 1916. While no formal date is known, the entry within the 52nd Brigade ‘War Diary’ for the above date is the first in Harold’s hand.

Extract from 52nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery War Diary (WO95/1752/4) TNA showing entries for 27th to 30th September 1917 and the signature of Colonel Belcher, Commanding

On a date after 29th December 1916, Harold returned home for a period of leave. During this time he married Ghita Isobel Powell in Woodbridge, Surrey. He returned to France and his unit on or about 28th January.

In an attempt to give RFA batteries a little more flexibility as to their use, on 8th January 1917 52 Bde RFA left 9 (Scottish) Div to become 52 Army Field Artillery Brigade – four batteries (A, B, C and D), each with six guns (18-Pdrs and 10 men per gun). Prior to this a battery was assigned to a particular Division – when that Division moved, either from one section of the line to another, or from one Corps to another (which generally necessitated a much longer march) the whole unit moved. In allowing more flexibility it was hoped that greater use of the guns could be used more effectively.

Lt.-Col. Harold Belcher was killed in action on 8th July 1917. The entry within 52 Brigade AFA War Diary for this date reads:

‘Col Belcher Commanding the Brigade Major Potter Commanding D/52 & Lt McGarvie D/52 were all killed by a shell. Lt Palmer the Brigade orderly officer was wounded by the same shell.’

Harold’s two youngest brothers also served during the ‘Great War’ –

Captain Gordon Belcher, 3rd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, attached to ‘B’ Company, 1st Battalion, died between 15th-17th May 1915. Buried Rue-des-Berceaux Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L'Avoue.

Major Raymond Douglas Belcher, ‘C’ Battery, 63rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery, died 7th December 1917. Buried Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport.

Extract of page from 52nd Brigade Army Field Artillery War Diary (WO95/203/4) TNA recording the death of Colonel Belcher

__________

The owner of the Army Bible which records Harold’s name is unknown. It can be assumed from that same inscription that whoever it belonged to must have been assigned to Colonel Belcher’s 52nd Brigade during the time of his command. Unfortunately, with the great loss of material over the years regarding WWI service records, pension records and pensions awarded for service, to widows as well as surviving troops, there is no way of being able to piece that part of the story together. In some ways, the loss of records, as much as being able to discover and read what survives, can and does help to inform us in some way as to the service of those men, regardless as to how their service had an impact on their lives, or indeed on that of their families back home.

Sources:

Official:

52nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery War Diary (WO95/1752/2); The National Archives, Kew.

52nd Brigade, Army Field Artillery War Diary (WO95/203/4); The National Archives, Kew.

Army List; The National Archives, Kew.

London Gazette; various Issues & Supplements; His Majesty’s Stationary Office (online).

Published:

Clarke, Dale & Delf, Brian; New Vanguard 94: British Artillery 1914-18 – Royal Field Artillery

Osprey Publishing; 2004.

Hamilton, Lt.-Col. The Hon. Ralph; The War Diary of the Master of Belhaven

Wharncliffe Books; 1990.

O’Moore, Creagh and Humphris, E.H.; The V. C. and D. S. O. Distinguished Service Order 1886-1915: Distinguished Service Order 6th September 1886 – 31st December 1915

Naval & Military Press; 2009.