Harry's Story.
Harry Darlington was born in 1884 in Knutsford, one of five children born to John (a house painter) and Mary Jane Darlington of 9, Tatton Street, Knutsford. On leaving school he took up his father's trade as a house painter.
In 1908 he married Sarah and moved to 9, Canute Place, Knutsford and in 1911 they had a baby girl that they named Mabel.
He joined the army at the outset of the war, becoming Private no. 16222 of the 7th Battalion of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.
Harry was killed in action on the 21 October 1915.
On that fateful day:
The Battalion War Diary states:
21st RUE DES CHAVATTES
Everything was very quiet all night but at 8 a.m. a shell burst in ORCHARD SUPPORT trench + damaged the parapet and caused 3 casualties. There was continual shelling + rifle grenades until 8.15a.m. when our guns silenced the enemy. The same working party as provided in the APEX and the R.E. were given another party to dig emplacements for gas cylinders in the APEX. The damage done in ORCHARD SUPPORT was repaired. Total casualties for the day were 3 killed + 4 wounded.
Our guns fired about 50 rounds of H.E. in the afternoon. At 10.30p.m. we stopped a working party by machine gun fire. During the night we heard the noise of some machine driven by electricity in the enemy lines."
Researched and compiled by Tony Davies.
Headstone picture © Cheshire Roll of Honour