Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John William Hardy was born in Sacriston in about 1876, the eldest son and one of five boys and four girls, born to James Hardy (Findon Hill 1849 - 1899 Sacriston) and Fanny Clark Kinchin (Basingstoke, Hampshire 1850 - 1929 Sedgefield, Co Durham). James and Fanny where married in Sedgefield, April 24th 1871. James was a tailor and the sexton of St Peter’s Sacriston, Fanny worked as a dressmaker. John at the age of 15 was working as a coal miner at the colliery. Whilst their father James was alive the family lived in Witton Gilbert but after his demise they moved to Chilton and in 1911 were living at 44, West Chilton Terrace, Ferryhill. John was still working at the colliery but was now a shifter below ground.
At the outbreak of war he enlisted, at Ferryhill, as Private 6/3824 John William Hardy, Durham Light Infantry, 1st/6th Battalion. He was sent to France April 17th 1915 landing in Boulogne the 19th. He fought in the Second Battle of Ypres. May 1915 the 6th D. L. I. was assigned to the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division. December 1st - 9th 1915 the Battalion was at La Blanche Maison, the weather was atrocious with heavy rain and the men were in the dugout, they did manage a football match with 8th Battalion who won 2 goal to nil. Many of the men had scabies and were hospitalised, the entire Battalion’s blankets were sent away for disinfestation. December 16th the Machine Gun Corp departed and marched to Dickebusch where they were billeted for one night before going into the trenches. The following the morning at 11.15 a. m. the Battalion was marched to the station and entrained to Poperinge, arriving, cross country at Dickebusch huts at 5.30 p. m. December 17th. The following day companies, “W”, “X”, and “Y”, were spread out across Sanctuary Woods. At 5 a. m. December 19th all ranks were aroused by heavy enemy artillery fire and later news arrived of a gas attack in the front line at the Hooge where the Royal Scots were entrenched. The artillery and gas soon reached the 6th Battalions trenches and “W” Company sustained several losses. Companies of the 6th relieved the Royal Scots that evening and the bombardment continued all night long. Next morning December 20th the bombardment still continued and the Company in trench A1 and A11 sustained the greatest losses, having 6 men killed outright. One of these six was Private 6/3824 John William Hardy. Private John William Hardy is interred at Perth Cemetery (China Wall), West - Vlaanderen, near Ypres, Belgium, grave I L 11. His headstone bears the words, “ In Loving Memory, Fight The Good Fight With All Thy Might”. This was paid for by his family and cost 13-5 (thirteen shillings and five pence). He was 41 years old and unmarried.
The news of his death would have reached his family just before Christmas but worst was to follow as his younger brother George Allanson Hardy , who was also enlisted in the 1st/6th Battalion D. L. I. in “X” Company, was killed 10 weeks later, March 1st 1916. He too is buried in Perth Cemetery (China Wall), West - Vlaanderen, near Ypres, Belgium, in the same row as his brother, grave I L 7. United in death as they had been in life. Knowing this perhaps would have brought some small comfort to their poor mother and siblings.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John William Hardy is remembered at Chilton on C107.01, C107.04, C107.09and C107.12
