(L to R) Defence Medal; War Medal 1939-45

Harry was born on the 8th January 1922 and lived at 47 Whitworth Street in Openshaw. At the outbreak of the Second World War he lived at 11 Gorton Road in Manchester and worked as a labourer, driver and packer.

Harry married Violet Tickle on the 19th April 1941 and they moved to 41 High Bank Road in Droylsden. They had ten children together including a son called Harry who sadly died of leukaemia aged 8.

Harry enlisted in the Army on the 6th June 1940 as with the service number 3603944. His attestation papers state that he was 5 foot 1 inches tall, with black hair. He initially joined the Border Regiment before transferring to the Manchester Regiment on the 20th June 1942. He then later transferred to the Staffordshire Regiment.

Harry’s career in the Army was generally a mixture of time in England and India. On the 21st March 1944, he was sent to India until he was demobilised two years later. He was promoted to Corporal on the 24th August 1945, and to Sergeant on the 1st November 1945, but was then demoted on the 2nd March 1946. He received violations for some minor offences, such as going absent without leave for a day. He received a slight injury on the 5th January 1946 but soon recovered. He was demobilised on the 8th August 1946 and returned to his address at 6 Ashbury Street in Lower Openshaw.

After the war Harry found work as a haulage driver and then a tar tanker driver, his driving skills from the war years serving him well. He died in August 2003 aged 81.

Harry’s medals were donated to the museum collections in 2013.