Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Henry Bland, also known as Harry, was the 3rd born of 5 surviving brothers and 3 sisters, 1 sibling deceased, gender unknown. His father Thomas Bland born at Shotley Bridge, County Durham, in 1867, had, by 1876, moved with his parents Henry and Mary Bland and 3 younger sisters to Eltringham Colliery, near Prudhoe, Northumberland, where his father worked as a blacksmith. He was married at Hexham in 1887 to local girl Mary Ann Ryder, born 1870, settling initially at Eltringham where daughter Jane Ann was born in 1888. In 1891 Thomas, employed as a coal miner, his wife and son Thomas Jnr (1) born at Stobswood, Northumberland in 1890, were living as lodgers in the village of East Castle, County Durham, in the home of the Laversey family, whilst Jane Ann (3) was cared for by the Parker family of Benfieldside, relationship, unknown. Thomas moved extensively with his family in search of work, son Christopher was born at Stobswood, Northumberland in 1892, Henry 1895 at Consett and Hannah 1898 at Linty Green, both in County Durham, however the family had returned to Northumberland by 1900 where Elizabeth was born at Annitsford. In 1891 they were living at Storey’s Buildings as Thomas, still the only bread-winner, was employed as a stone-man/coal miner. They remained in Northumberland and by 1911 had a further 2 children, Charles born December 1st 1902 at Annitsford and James, March 7th 1905 at North Walbottle. In 1911 they and their children, with the exception of Jane Ann, occupied 3 rooms at 35, Beaumont Terrace, Westerhope, Northumberland and had also taken into their home Thomas’s nephew Harry Bland (9), his widowed aunt, Mary Lowes (64), her brother Thomas Brown (32) and a boarder 20-year-old, coal miner/shifter, Robert Hunter, Thomas Bland Snr, Thomas Jnr (21), Christopher (18) and Harry (16) were also working at the colliery as coal miners.
Britain declared a state of war with Germany in August 1914 and all regiments created new battalions. Henry was one of the first to enlist at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, November 1914 assigned as Private 443 to the newly formed 23rd (4th Tyneside Scottish) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. The new recruits trained at Newcastle before moving to Alnwick camp in the grounds of Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, January 29th 1915, departing for Ripon, Yorkshire, in June 1915, joining the 102nd Brigade, 34th Division, Private Henry Bland moved with the 34th Division from Ripon to Salisbury Plain in late August 1915 for final training and departed England for the front in France, January 1916, where the division concentrated at La Crosse near St Omer. After a period of trench familiarisation they made their way to the Somme in preparation for the forthcoming battles.
The 34th Division fought during the Battles of the Somme at the Battle of Albert, July 1st-13th 1916 and at Bazentin Ridge, July 14th-17th, but did not participated in any other major battles. In 1917 the division fought during the 1st & 2nd Battles of the Scarpe and the Battle of Arleux during the Arras Offensive, April 9th-May 16th 1917. In August they participated in the fighting at Hargicourt and in October moved to the Ypres salient in Belgium.
Private 443 Henry Bland Northumberland Fusiliers was killed in action April 29th 1917 during the Arras Offensive and laid to rest within Brown’s Copse Cemetery, Roeux, Pas de Calais, France, grave III. G. 20. The burials in rows I to IV were cleared from the battlefield during the summer of 1917. Private Bland was 22 years of age and single.
His father received all monies owed to his son from the Army, his mother a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory medal were sent to their home address of 35, Beaumont Terrace, Westerhope, Northumberland.
Although Henry’s elder brother were eligible to serve during WW! no records have been found, however, they outlived their brother by many years.
Mary Ann Bland nee Ryder died at Castle Ward in 1926 aged 55 years, Thomas Bland aged 73 years in 1940 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, both in Northumberland.
It should be noted the CWGC have in error listed Henry as Private R. Bland, all other records pertaining to him are correct.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Henry Bland is remembered at Whorlton on W53.01
