Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Nine Elms British Cemetery | ||
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.124 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 6D GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Son of John Henry Hanson (Civil Engineer) and Annie Hanson, of Daisy Lea, Lindley, Huddersfield.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 4th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) |
1/4th Battalion August 1914 : in Halifax. Part of 2nd West Riding Brigade, West Riding Division. Moved on mobilisation to coastal defences near Hull and Grimsby. Moved on 5 November 1914 to billets in Doncaster. 14 April 1915 : landed at Boulogne. 15 May 1915 : formation became 147th Brigade in 49th (West Riding) Division. |
| Action : The Cambrai Operations and associated actions |
20 November - 30 December 1917. As the Battle of Third Ypres closed down the opportunity presented itself for a short but rapid attack on the German positions near Cambrai. Drawing on the considerable lessons learnt at Ypres the battle plan concentrated on better ground the combined resources of infantry, artillery, tanks and air support in what was in part a blueprint for the combined operations that are now a normal part of military thinking and planning. It was at first spectacularly successful but again the German ability to reorganise and counter attack was demonstrated to such an extent that by the end of the battle virtually all gains were lost. British casualties were about 45,000.
Detail :
Harold HANSON was instrumental in forming and recruiting the 2/5 Duke of Welingtons. In July 1912 he had been promoted to Captain in the 1/5 Battalion (Territorial). The 2/5th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment was formed at Huddersfield in November 1914 by Lieutenant Colonel W. Cooper V.D., with Captain J. L. Robinson as adjutant, and the Huddersfield Recruiting Committee headed by Sir William Raynor assisted by Captain Harold Hanson. Lieutenant T. P. Crosland was also active in securing a large number of recruits from the Mirfield area. From November 1914 until February 1915, the battalion trained at Greenhead Park and the drill hall at Huddersfield, and did much route marching in the Huddersfield area. It seems reasonable to assume that all local men were billeted in their own homes during this period, that is known to be the method used when the local artillery brigade was raised later in the year. Those men who volunteered for foreign service were drafted to the 1st 5th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Hanson is shown as having been in the 1/4 Battalion on his death during the Battle of Cambrai.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Huddersfield No. 290 E.C. | Yorkshire (West Riding) |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
6th January 1915 | 5th May 1915 | 2nd June 1915 |
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley