Harry was born on 29th June 1930 in Leadgate near Consett County Durham but lived all his childhood and early adult life in nearby Tow Law. Throughout his life he was always proud of his heritage and roots.
Having successfully passed his 11 plus in 1941 he attended Wolsingham Grammar school. Maths was a bit of a trial but he soon developed a love of history in which he excelled. He remained into the sixth form where he obtained his Higher School Certificate.
His other great love was sport, cricket and in particular football. Again, he excelled playing for the likes of Tow Law Town! Years later following his father’s death he bumped into a close friend of his father, Harry Rawe. He had played for Huddersfield Town in the 1930 FA Cup Final, made famous by the German Zeppelin flying overhead during the game. He was, at that time, scouting for Queens Park Rangers, then in the Second Division. He told Harry that he had some time previously asked his father if he could take him to QPR but that his father had refused, saying that he was to complete his education. What might have been?
For years Harry returned to his old school on the nearest Friday to the 11th November for a commemoration service for the old boys who had lost their lives in both world wars. Indeed, in the school field adjoining, a tree has been planted in dedication for each of these pupils. The first tree was planted in 1917 and afterwards to each who lost their lives in the first World War. These were the first War memorials of that war, a fact later confirmed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
After leaving Wolsingham in 1948 he joined the army to fulfil his National Service duty, ending up in the Royal Army Service Corps. Following initial training and postings in the UK in March 1949 he was posted to Hong Kong. A complete change for a young lad from a County Durham pit village.
It was during a posting in Hong Kong that the 19 year old soldier received the devastating news that his father had died suddenly of a heart attack. He was just 46 years old. This had a profound effect on the young Harry.
On demob in 1950 he got his first job in the education department in the old Shire Hall in Durham. He stayed for 13 years gaining various qualifications when in 1963 with a wife and two young children he applied and was accepted for teacher training college. His first teaching appointment being at Egglescliffe Secondary Modern School, then Egglescliffe Junction Farm Primary School (Deputy Head) and in 1972 appointed Head Teacher at Aycliffe Village Primary School where he remained until his retirement in 1993.
Always interested in history, that interest developed into a passion for military history and the Durham Light Infantry in particular. His connection to Bede Teacher Training College and his roots from the Durham Coalfield also helped ignite this passion. He would later research and lecture on the Bede Company and their terrifying baptism of fire on the Gravenstafel Ridge during the second battle of Ypres in 1915.
Around 1980 as an early member of the fledgling Western Front Association he helped set up the Durham branch. He acted as secretary for many years. He began giving talks at meetings and joined the first of many trips to the battlefields of northern France and Belgium.
As his interest and research continued he became involved with both the DLI Association and the Museum giving many Saturday afternoon talks.
He was introduced to Peter Hart, then the Sound Record Archivist with the Imperial War Museum. He joined the oral history project, interviewing Second World War veterans of the DLI – and so began a 20 year second occupation as part-time interviewer for the IWM – many hours of gently guiding the soldier to delve back in his memory for all those experiences so that they could be preserved for future generations to understand. He formed many close friendships with the men he interviewed.
Retirement in 1993 gave him more time for his research and this led to the publication of several books on regimental history.
The Faithful Sixth a history of the 6th Battalion DLI was published in 1995.
The Gateshead Gurkhas a history of the 9th Battalion DLI was published in 2001.
The Durhams in Korea in 2002
The Fighting Bradfords a biography of four extraordinary Durham brothers was published in 2003.
For You Tommy The War Is Over – experiences of DLI POWs (with Major Ian English) was published in 2006.
For Your Tomorrow a history of the 2nd DLI n 2013
From the beginning of the 21st century he became a member of a group of DLI Friends who published The Durham Bugle. The magazine which appeared for fifteen years was full of stories of the DLI and individual soldiers, many of which Harry contributed to or wrote.
In 2016 the story of the Bradford brothers was turned into a play, written by Carina Rodney and presented at the Gala Theatre in Durham,. The story had touched and interested Harry since the mid-1980s. Four brothers, born in Witton Park Co. Durham, two Victoria Crosses, a Distinguished Service Order and two Military Crosses between them in the First World War. Only one brother survived – a unique family story that had inspired his book, The Fighting Bradfords.
He was heavily involved, too, with the Friends of Lochnagar and, together with his wife Audrey, attended many first of July commemorations at the crater near La Boiselle, Harry acting as master of ceremonies.
Harry understood the deep roots of the DLI in the working people of the County – in particular the miner – and how the fierce loyalty, bravery and comradeship, characteristic of the man underground, continued on when the same men were under fire in uniform.
He was writing up to the end of his life and was still an active member of the DLI Friends group, meeting members at least once a week.
His kindness was a byword and he always had time to listen and give advice.
