Ince Harry Farnham 

Note:

a) BURIAL: He is buried in Milton Cemetery Portsmouth - Plot C, Row 10, Grave 39.nHis wife, Florence Irene's ashes were scattered on his grave.nnBIOGRAPHY: Reply to the Ministry of Pensions (National Scheme for Disabled men).nHe applied for an education grant for his son Basil, and they wanted to know where he worked & why he was unable to continue in business after discharge from the service.nn"Dear Sir,nIn reply to your letter, I was in business as a wine & spirit merchant at Ranelagh Road, Ealing, W London. The reason I was unable to go into business again was that during the time I was in hospital & under treatment (10 years) I used all my available capital, having to keep two homes going for a part of the time as during a dangerous stage my wife remained for 12 months near the hospital in Yorkshire [Keighley]. Apart from this & also the expense incurred with the birth of my son, the capital required to go into business in 1927 (when I was discharged from treatment) was very different to that required prior to 1914, at least three times the amount would have been needed & by that time I had no capital."nnInce Harry was also believed to be a Buffalo, but I do not know where before Waterlooville.nAccording to Kelly's directories, he was at 1 Ranelagh Road Ealing in 1911, but not 1912 or 1913.nnMILITARY: Company Quartermaster Sergeant Major, Gloucester Regt. Honourably discharged 1919(medically). Regimental No 13868nin possession Basil G.nWounded 5th July 1917 - snipers bullet in leg. Secondary cause of death.nnE-mail from Soldiers of Gloucester:-nThank you for you enquiry. Company Quarter Master Sergeant Harry Farnham served with 8th Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment, which was raised as a service battalion at Tidworth in August 1914, becoming part of 57th Brigade, 19th Division in March 1915. The battalion arrived in France on 18th July 1915, Harry Farnham included, and concentrated around St Omer as part of Indian Corps, First Army. 19th Division was first sent into the front line in the second half of August between Givenchy and Festubert, and played but a small part in the battle of Loos.nnIn the summer of 1916 19th Division was transferred to III Corps, Fourth Army, and 8th Battalion came into action on the 3rd day of the battle of the Somme, fighting round La Boiselle, their colonel being awarded the Victoria Cross. The battalion took heavy casualties, losing nearly three hundred officers and men in killed, wounded and missing. Nearly three weeks later, on 23rd July, they were back in between Bazentin Le Petit and High Wood in an unsuccessful attack on the German position, and losing nearly two hundred more casualties. On 30th July they were involved in another unsuccessful attack, this time against the German trenches between High Wood and Pozieres. Again, the assault was a costly failure, the Battalion losing nearly one hundred and seventy more casualties.nn19th Division was in Reserve and regaining strength until late October 1916, and on 18th November 8th Battalion was involved in a successful attack on German positions near Grandcourt. Again, casualties were high, with nearly three hundred officers and men killed, wounded or missing.nnOn 30th April 1917 19th Division was transferred to IX Corps, Second Army and on 7th June, 8th Battalion took part in a successful attack during the battle of Messines. The summer saw a series of successful attacks and defences made by 8th Battalion, and on 2nd August A Company of 8th Battalion were awarded the privilege of wearing the 19th Division’s Butterfly Badge on their sleeves. This mark of heroism was unique amongst all the infantry formations of 19th Division.nn8th Battalion was again in action on 20th September 1917 at the Menin Road, losing over one hundred and sixty casualties in an unsuccessful attack.nnThe German Spring Offensive of 1918 saw 8th Battalion involved in their biggest battle of the war, with 19th Division now in IV Corps, Third Army, when they were fighting around Doignies against overwhelming odds before being forced to give way. Over three hundred casualties were taken and another officer was awarded the Victoria Cross, this time posthumously. Later in March the Division was back with IX Corps, Second Army, and 8th Battalion saw further action on the Messines Ridge. In April IX Corps was transferred to the French Sixth Army, and 8th Battalion successfully repulsed a German attack near Chambrecy in May and June. In July 19th Division was transferred to XIII Corps, Fifth Army, and in October to XVII Corps, Third Army. 8th Battalion’s final battle of the war was at the River Selle where they captured the village of Les Fourrieres on 23rd October.nn8th Battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment was finally disbanded at Gloucester in May 1919.nnAt some point in his career with 8th Battalion, CQMS Farnham was wounded, although I have not been able to ascertain when exactly this was. He was awarded the Silver War Badge (number B330449) as a result of his wound. Given that he was discharged from the army on 7th October 1919, (possibly as a result of his wound) it seems likely that as 8th Battalion had already been disbanded by this date, he was either in hospital or convalescing, or had transferred at some point to another unit.nnMARRIAGE: At the time of his marriage, he was stationed at Bhurtpore Barracks, Tidworth.nMarriage Certificate; in poss Basil G.nn1891-Census: 1 Ranelagh Road, Ealing, Londonnn1901-Census: 1 Ranelagh Road, Ealing, living with Aunt - Mary J Notleynn1911-Census: 1 Ranelagh Raod, Ealing, living with sister Mabel and uncle Henry Thorne.nnAccording to the 1912 directory, Milton Spencer Smith was there; henwas a beer retailer.nnIn the following year, Walter Ernest Shepherd, a wine, spirit and beernmerchant, was there.nnThis would seem to indicate that the business was sold as a going concern sometime 1911/1912.nnNot there in Kelly's 1914 - there is no listing for No. 1. nOpposite at 2 Ranelagh Road is F S Stowell Wine and Spirit Merchants. They were also there in 1911.nThere was a Manager of Wine Merchants at No. 2 in 1891 and 1901.nnOCCUPATION: 1901 (C) Clerkn1911 (C) Dealer in Wine, Spirits and Beers (off the premises)