Arras Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Richard Harker, the youngest surviving son of Adam Harker and Ann Gray was born at Wardley, near Gateshead, Country Durham in 1884, one of 10 children of whom only 6 survived, 3 sons and 3 daughters. His father Adam was born at Mold, Flintshire, Wales in 1842, he migrated to the north east where he worked as a miner and married at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, September 19th 1870, Ann Gray of Gosforth a suburb of Newcastle, born 1845. Over the next ten years they lived at Spennymoor, County Durham but can be found at 10, Double Row, Heworth near Gateshead by 1881. As the family grew they moved to 4, Third Street, Robert (22) and John (17) joined their father working as miners at the colliery, Richard (7) was a scholar, aged 17 years he too worked there, below ground, as a putter.
Richard Harker enlisted during WW1 at Newcastle upon Tyne, January 1915, assigned initially to the 27th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers as Private 1460. The 27th (4th Tyneside Irish) was a Pals Battalion, part of the 103rd Brigade, 34th Division, he was later transferred to the 20th (1st Tyneside Scottish) Battalion, 102nd Brigade, 34th Division, exact date unknown, as his military record no longer exists, however, both battalions once mobilised were involved together on the Western Front.
He departed to France in January 1916 where the division concentrated at La Crosse, east of St. Omer. They saw action during the Battles of the Somme, including the capture of Scots and Sausage Redoubts during the Battle of Albert July 1st-15th, Bazentin Ridge 14th-17th and Pozieres July 23rd-September 3rd 1916. In 1917 in the First and Second Battles of the Scarpe and the Battle of Arleux during the Arras Offensive.
After the first day of the Battle of Arras, April 9th 1917 Private 27/1460 Richard Harker Northumberland Fusiliers could not be found and would have initially been declared as missing and/or wounded. He was later officially declared as presumed to have died on or before April 9th 1917. His sacrifice is recorded as one of almost 35,000 names of servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand inscribed on the Arras Memorial within Faubourg=d’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France which commemorates those who fell in the sector between spring 1916 and August 7th 1918 and who have no known grave.
His mother Ann received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Richard Harker is remembered at Heworth on H92.03 and at Wardley on W97.01 and W97.02
