Willington Cemetery
In Willington Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:-
In Loving Memory
Of
JOHN BELL
Of Station Cottages Willington
Who Died 6th April 1918
Aged 85 Years
And Of Grandsons
Pte RALPH BELL HIRD
Who Fell In Action In France
10th October 1916 Aged 28 Years
Pte HENRY NORMAN HIRD
Who Fell In Action In France
11th October 1918 Aged 21 Years
Sons of FRANK & MARY JANE HIRD
Who Gave Their Lives For Others
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Henry Norman Hird was born at Sunnybrow, County Durham in 1896, one of 6 children of whom only 4 survived, he was the youngest of 3 sons and had 3 elder sisters. Agnes Sarah the eldest born 1880 died aged 19 years in 1899, Mary Isabella born 1883 died aged 22 years in 1905. His father Frances Hird, known as Frank, born in North Yorkshire at Scorton in 1857 married, October 18th 1879, in the district of Durham, to Mary Jane Bell born 1859 at Barnard Castle, County Durham. Newly married they settled at Langton near Darlington where Frank worked as an agricultural labourer and where Agnes Sarah was born. By 1891 they had moved to Bank Foot where he had changed occupation and was now a plate layer for the railway. Still employed by the railway he had been transferred to Helmington Row ten years later and living as West Durham Cottages, eldest son John William (15) was a cow boy and agricultural labourer. All of their surviving children had left home by 1911 with the exception of Henry Norman (14) who worked at the colliery as a letter boy, they had taken into their home at 4, Railway Cottages, Mary Jane’s widowed father John Bell (77), who despite his age was still employed as a railway plate layer for the railway, Frank was now a railway fireman.
When war broke out in 1914 he was 17/18 years of age, Henry Norman when first enlisted at Bishop Auckland was assigned as Private 28224 Durham Light Infantry and later transferred, exact date unknown, to the 1st/4th Territorial Battalion Duke of Wellington’s West Yorkshire Regiment. as Private 24215. The battalion when first formed was destined to serve as part of the coastal defences however in the summer of 1915 they were recalled to their home base and mobilised for service abroad. The main body of the regiment departed April 14th 1915 departing from Folkestone arriving the following day at Boulogne. Private Hird departed after January 1916 for the Western Front.
During the Battle of the Somme the battalion was part of the 149th Brigade, 49th West Riding Division and saw action at the opening battle at Albert, July 1st-13th 1916, in reserve July 14th-17th at the Battle of Bazentin Ridge also at Pozieres Ridge July 23rd-September 3rd and Flers Courcelette September 15th-22nd.
1917 they participated during the operations on the Flanders Coast at the Battle of Poelcapelle, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres and in 1918 at the Battles of the Lys at Estaires, Messiness, Bailleul and Kemmel Ridge followed by the Final Advance in Picardy and the Pursuit to the Selle.
During October 1918 the village of Rieux-en-Cambresis was captured by the Allies and it was during the battle that ensued in this sector that Private 24215 Henry Norman Hird Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment was killed in action, October 11th 1918 and interred at Wellington Cemetery, Rieux-En-Cambresis, 9 kilometres north-east of Cambrai, begun by the battalions of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment immediately after the battle. He was 21 years old and single.
His father Frank received all monies due to him and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to him at 4, Station Cottages, Willington, County Durham. He commissioned at a cost of 18 shillings 1 pence an additional inscription to be added to his son’s military headstone it reads, “Sudden Was The Call The Shock Severe To Part With One We Loved So Dear.”
His death came exactly 2 years almost to the day after the death of his elder brother Private Ralph Bell Hird who had died of wounds, October 10th 1916, whilst serving with the Durham Light Infantry. He left a widow and 2 children and was the recipient of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Henry Norman Hird is remembered at Willington on W120.02 and W120.03
