Harold Montague Mandley

Family

Harold ("Harry") Montague Mandley was born in Ilfracombe in 1890. He was the eldest son of John Mandley and his wife Frances Hexter. His parents lived at 12 Wonford Road, Exeter, where his father ran a grocery business, and he was baptised at St Leonard's, Exeter, on 25^th September 1890.

John Mandley came from Clyst St Lawrence, where his father Henry farmed 74 acres. His elder brother Thomas followed their father into farming, but John decided on a different career. He obtained work as an assistant in the business of John Lethbridge, a wholesale and retail Grocer in Fore Street, Exeter. There he met Frances Hexter, the eldest daughter of William Hexter, who ran the "Star Stores Inn" in Fore Street (later The Mint Tavern). They married on 30^th October 1889 at St Olave's, Exeter. We know a little more of their subsequent history than might usually be the case, from newspaper reports of an "interpleader case" brought by Frances at the County Court at Totnes in March 1897.

Frances' mother, Ellen Hexter, née Battershill, had died two years earlier, leaving her eldest daughter the fairly substantial sum of £1000, interest on which was paid to her until she came into the whole sum when she reached the age of 21, soon after her marriage. With her inheritance, John set up in business in Exeter as a grocer; Frances took the house at 12 Wonford Road, Exeter, buying furniture and other items necessary to set up a family home there. She also received several generous wedding presents from her family.

John, Frances and Harry were recorded living at 12 Wonford Road in the 1891 Census, and a daughter, Ethel Gwendoline, was born in 1893. Unfortunately, John Mandley's grocery business was not a success. He went bankrupt, and the money that Frances had put into the business was lost. With some difficulty, she managed to hold on to the family's furniture and other items of value, on the grounds that they were hers and not her husband's and so could not be taken in settlement of his debts.

The family then moved to Torquay, where John and Frances' third child, William Reginald, was born in 1895. John Mandley opened another grocery business, but this too failed. Frances, clearly a resourceful woman, decided to draw on her experience as an innkeeper's daughter, and set up in business herself. With the benefit of a gift of £500 from an aunt, a Miss Cousins, in 1896, the family moved to Dartmouth, and Frances took the lease of the Lindsay Arms in Lower Street, paying £150 for the goodwill, and additional money for the stock and license. According to newspaper reports, she carried on the business, and paid for everything. Only the license was in her husband's name, at the wish of the Magistrates granting it.

Frances was able to demonstrate to the Court that nothing in the Lindsay Arms belonged to John Mandley, and so was able to recover from the executors of her husband's latest bankruptcy, various items which the court accepted were hers, including a number of items given to her as wedding presents. Costs were also awarded in her favour. Nonetheless, at the judgement summons in John Mandley's bankruptcy case later that year, he was ordered to pay back his creditors at £2 per month, on the basis of takings at the Lindsay Arms of between £9-10 per week.

Frances Mandley would appear to have moved out of the innkeeping business fairly soon, as she was reported as having transferred the license to Mr Cross, of Torquay, in 1898. Although two more children were born to Frances and John in Dartmouth, Frances Gertrude in 1897 and Frederick Charles in 1900, it seems that by the time of the 1901 Census the couple were living separately. Frances and the children were recorded living in Bayards Cove, Dartmouth, where her household also included two boarders. John Mandley lived on the other side of Dartmoor, in South Tawton, near Okehampton, with his elder brother Thomas, who was the farm bailiff for the Wood House estate. It appears that he had found work looking after the mentally ill, because his occupation was recorded as "mental attendant".

John's story came to a sad end in 1902. Several newspapers reported an inquest by the Bristol Deputy Coroner at Redland, on 3^rd March 1902:

("Dr Fox's Asylum" was a private lunatic asylum at Brislington House, Bristol, established by Edward Long Fox in 1806 for patients who were segregated by class as well as by behaviour and condition).

Despite these very difficult circumstances, Frances was still able to create some stability for her children. They remained at Port View House, Bayards Cove, and as they grew older were frequently reported in the columns of the Dartmouth Chronicle winning prizes in sports events (the boys) or contributing to plays and pantomimes (the girls). By the time of the 1911 Census, Harry, aged 20, had begun his working life as a carpenter, apprenticed to John Heydon, a carpenter and builder in Dartmouth. His younger brother (William) Reginald had been apprenticed as a copper-smith, at one of Dartmouth's two large engineering firms, Simpson Strickland & Co. No occupation was recorded for Ethel, 18; the two younger children, Frances and Frederick, were still at school. William Polglass and George Brown continued to board with the family.

Service

7^thBattalion Devonshire Regiment (Cyclists)

Harry's Army service papers are amongst the few that have survived (though damaged), so we know that he joined the 7^th Battalion Devonshire Regiment (Cyclists) on 1^st March 1910, reporting regularly every year for training. He signed on for four years, and on 28^th August 1913, extended his service for a further year, to March 1915.

The 7^th Battalion had been created as part of the Territorial Force in 1908 - the 5^th Volunteer Battalion had a cyclist company based at Torquay, and this was used as the nucleus of Cyclist Battalion. By 1914 there were several cyclist companies; "F" Company was based at Dartmouth, very much a part of the local scene. Harry's younger brother Reginald was also a member, in May 1914 representing the "Dartmouth Territorials" in a shooting match with the Royal Naval College "under Bisley conditions - 200 and 300 yards, one sighting shot, seven rounds each distance. The Territorials won by one point.

At the outbreak of war, 7^th Battalion had just finished its annual training at Churston Race Course, Paignton, and on 3^rd August was at Battalion and Company headquarters. Harry was mobilised on 5^th August 1914. Before the war, he had volunteered for the Special Service Section, responsible for South West Coast Defences, and so his first duty was to carry out coastal patrols. Detachments of the Battalion were sent all along the coast from Lands End to Lyme Regis.

Very soon, however, it was decided that the north-east coast was a higher priority. The following week the 7^th Battalion, including both Harry and his brother Reginald, was sent by train to the north-east, responsible for coastal defence from Scarborough in Yorkshire, to Seaton Delaval in Northumberland, based at Whitby.

As part of the Territorial Force, which had been created for the purpose of home defence, members of 7^th Devons had no liability to serve overseas. Most territorials, however, soon undertook to serve abroad, and Harry was no exception - he signed the form accepting this liability on 26^th September 1914. (See also the story of Frederick Coles, a fellow member of the Battalion from Dartmouth, who had joined on 7^th August 1914, who similarly accepted this liability on the same day). In the meantime, Harry's time in the north-east was not uneventful. On 30^th October 1914, the Battalion was involved in helping to save the passengers and crew of the Hospital Ship Rohilla, wrecked off Whitby. During his time in Whitby, Harry also met a young lady, a "Miss Harland". At some point during his service in the north-east (or possibly when he later came home on a short leave), they became engaged to be married.

Army Cyclist Corps: 7^th Divisional Cyclist Company

Harry did not stay long enough with the 7^th Devons, however, to be involved their role assisting the civil powers when, on 16^th December, the Germans shelled the north-east coast, including Whitby, causing many casualties. On 7^th November 1914, the Army Cyclist Corps had been set up to bring together all the Regular Army cyclist companies attached to each infantry division (including the new army divisions raised under Kitchener). This did not affect the Territorial cyclist units, or the men in them, which remained as they were. However, it seems to have provided an opportunity for Harry, for he was discharged from the 7^th Battalion on 13^th December 1914, and reattested the following day in the Army Cyclist Corps at Southampton, being allocated a new service number, 564. Perhaps the attraction was the pay - this was the same as for the infantry, but "proficiency pay" was given to men who qualified as a proficient cyclist, and who had the necessary physical endurance. Harry was granted "Proficiency Pay class I" when in the field, as from 19^th December 1914; and class II, with effect from 1^st July 1915. Alternatively, perhaps it was the opportunity to get overseas more quickly.

On Christmas Eve 1914, he left Southampton for France, arriving at Le Havre on Christmas Day. He was posted to the 7^th Divisional Cyclist Company "in the field" on 29^th December 1914. The primary roles of cyclists were reconnaissance and communications, but as mobile infantry, could provide mobile firepower if required. However, the nature of trench warfare meant that much of their time in practice was spent on manual labour. According to Charles Messenger:

During First Ypres, 7^th Division had suffered very heavy losses, and so had to be substantially reinforced and rebuilt during January and February of 1915.

The War Diary of the 7^th Divisional Cyclist Company is fragmentary, but it does record the arrival of one officer, Lt W Hill, and 56 men "from Army Cyclist Corps" on 29^th December 1914. Harry's start with his new unit was not entirely happy - his records show that he fell foul of army discipline in February 1915, when he received 7 days "field punishment No 2" (hard labour and loss of pay) for "quitting his post when on active service when a Police Sentry about 10.30pm without being properly relieved".

The War Diary records that, during 1915, the Company was at Neuve Chapelle in March, Aubers-Fromelles and Festubert in May, at Festubert and Givenchy in June, and at Loos in September. However, no detail whatever is provided on these operations, other than the following on 26^th September, the second day of the Battle of Loos:

The Company's activities for the first three months of 1916 are listed on one sheet of paper. On 6^th February 1916, they arrived at Sailly-Laurette on the Somme, south of Albert. Here, they were employed on road-building. On 6^th March 1916, they moved to Buire-sur-L'Ancre, west of Albert, where they were "employed with Signals". On 31^st April 1916, they were moved back to the Somme river, at Vaux-sur-Somme, where they were once again employed on road-building. Harry had another run-in with army discipline, this time more serious, involving "insubordination to an NCO and volunteering for the Guard Room [sic]" for which he received 14 days "field punishment No 1" - hard labour, loss of pay, and possibly, depending upon the policy of the unit, shackling for up to two hours in three days out of four during the period of the punishment.

Army Cyclist Corps: XV Corps Cyclist Battalion

In May and June 1916, the Cyclists went through another organisational change. Divisional Cyclist Companies were removed from divisional command level, and concentrated into Cyclist Battalions, at Corps level. Thus, the Cyclist Companies of 7^th, 21^st and 39^th Divisions were amalgamated to form XV Corps Cyclist Battalion - and so Harry's record shows that he was posted to XV Corps on 11^th May 1916.

The War Diary for XV Corps Cyclist Battalion accordingly begins on 11^th May 1916 at Heilly, on the Ancre, south-west of Albert:

Five days later the Cyclist Battalion was formed into three Companies, A, B and C. There were 159 NCOs and men who were surplus to the required number, and they were sent off to various infantry battalions.

The XV Corps Cyclist Battalion's War Diary is a much fuller record than Harry's previous unit. It shows that the Battalion spent the next ten months in the Somme sector. As the day of the great offensive approached, they were trained with mounted troops, to be ready if the much hoped-for "breakout" occurred; on 1^st July 1916 itself, they moved upriver to Ribemont "ready to move at a moment's notice". They "stood to" for five days, but mounted troops were not called for. Instead, they were called upon for a variety of tasks. On 2^nd July, three parties of one NCO and eight men were "sent out in reliefs to assist in turning back stragglers from the battlefield". On 4^th July, four officers and 88 other ranks were sent to Becordel to mend the road into Fricourt. On 6^th July, small parties were sent off on various tasks - one group was sent with Corps Cavalry to search for stray enemy prisoners, where the advance had been successful in overcoming German defences; another group was detailed off to assist a Royal Engineers Special Company (ie one dealing with gas or flame throwers); and a third group was required to report to 38^th Division to hold Marlborough Wood in advance of infantry, against surprise attack.

On 13^th July, with a new attack in the offing, they were brought up to the Citadel camp, near Fricourt, at midnight, "ready to move forward at shortest notice". But once again, they were not required, and after two days, returned to Ribemont. Much of the latter part of July and the early part of August was spent with the Royal Engineers, burying signals cables. In September they were back at Heilly, engaged on a variety of tasks. The Battalion War Diary mentions that one party of 50 men worked with the Ordnance Officer at the Meaulte railhead; a small party of two NCOs and ten men guarded a working party of 200 prisoners.

On 7^th September, they were again brought a little further forward, to Becordel, where they were held in readiness for several weeks, presumably in case of the hoped-for breakthrough - which once again did not materialise. After several weeks, the Australian Cyclist Corps arrived on 26^th October to relieve them.

As the final days of the Battle of the Somme continued into November, they were at a camp near Amiens called Le Catelet, with detachments at Poulainville, Talmas, and Flesselles, though there is no details given in the War Diary about their activities. Those not on detachment were undergoing training to keep up essential military skills, which might otherwise disappear amidst all the road building and trench digging - and the bicycles had to be maintained and kept clean, in case they were required. On 11^th December, they were back on the Somme river, near Albert, at Sailly-le-Sec, where they spent Christmas Day; and during January, February, until mid-March, at Etinehem, nearby.

On 25^th January, Harry went on leave to England for ten days - the first time he had been home since arriving in France over two years earlier. It seems that his priority on that visit was Miss Harland, in Whitby (see the newspaper report below) - whether he might also have found time for a visit to Dartmouth, is not clear. While he was away, and for several days after he returned, the Cyclists, working for the Royal Engineers, were burying water pipes to prevent them from freezing, in one of the coldest winters for several years. Late February and early March involved work on the construction of a "prisoners cage" near the village of Suzanne, upriver on the Somme, and on Hangers for No. 14 Wing Royal Flying Corps.

At some point, Lewis Guns had been issued to each company, and the sections responsible were instructed in their use, and carried out firing practice whenever possible. On 19^th March 1917, the Battalion moved from Etinehem to Clery-sur-Somme, near Peronne; and suddenly, the tempo and nature of their activities changed. Though the Battalion War Diary does not say so, this was due to the overall military situation - the Germans had withdrawn on 16^th March to a new defensive position on the Hindenburg Line.

The front-line had consequently moved more during those three days than over many months and there was much uncertainty about the new situation. Suddenly the Cyclists recovered their primary military purpose. One company was attached to 8^th Division and another to 40^th Division "for patrol duty and advance guard work". Moving cautiously forward through the evacuated areas, the latter Company occupied the village of Tincourt, three miles east of Peronne. Tincourt had been under German occupation since the autumn of 1914 and had been far enough behind the line to be used by German forces for billeting. On 21^st March, the Cyclists were, according to the Battalion War Diary, "the first troops to enter the village. The Lewis Guns were brought into action and did well". They occupied Tincourt; the War Diary does not mention it, but other sources show that, due to the "scorched earth" policy followed by the Germans as they withdrew, the village was badly damaged and the area was partly flooded. Two men were wounded as the village was taken, one of them the company sergeant major.

The Battalion headquarters and transport then moved forward to the village of Moislains, north of Peronne, while the companies attached to Divisions continued their patrol and reconnaissance work. On 26^th March, the company attached to 8^th Division 23^rd Brigade took part in the attack on, and capture of, the village of Equancourt; on 30^th March, "B" Company, attached to 8^th Division 25^th Brigade, took part in the attack on the neighbouring village of Fins, positioned:

One prisoner was captured; one cyclist was wounded, but remained at duty.

As the cautious British advance proceeded, the companies attached to Divisions continued with patrols and reconnaissance. On 4^th April, "B" Company, attached to 25^th Brigade, took part in the infantry attack between Fins and the neighbouring village of Gouzeaucourt, and "did excellent work. All three Lewis Guns were brought into action". However, there were some casualties - one officer was wounded, but remained at duty; two men were wounded, one of whom died; two others were slightly wounded, remaining at duty.

At this point, the advance stopped - for just beyond Gouzeaucourt was the new German defensive line. The new British front line began to consolidate accordingly. Two Cyclist companies remained attached to Brigades and carried out patrol and reconnaissance work until 15^th and 16^th April, when they returned to the Battalion. On 19^th April, one officer and 20 men were involved in preparing the Corps "Prisoner of War Cage"; for others, a Battalion programme of training began again in their camp at Moislains.

Death

On 25^th April 1917, the Battalion War Diary records:

Because Harry's service papers include those from the Court of Enquiry held the day after he was killed, at the Battalion Headquarters in Moislains, we know in some detail what happened.

The Court was chaired by Captain R McDougill of XX Corps Cyclist Battalion, with two other officers from Harry's Battalion. Where possible the evidence is quoted in full - one statement is missing its final sentence, due to the condition of Harry's file. The culprit was one of the Lewis Guns that had done such "excellent work" during the previous few weeks.

Number 670 Lance Corporal RG Pridham was the witness to the death itself. He stated:

No 1312 Lance Corporal G Jones was running the Lewis Gun class in which the gun that killed Harry was fired. He stated:

No 6221 Private Pattison fired the shot that killed Harry. He said:

No 10618 Pte H R Nichol was the first member of the class to fire the gun. He said:

No 9901 Pte C W Palmer, No 7162 Acting Cpl E Skelton and 6758 Pte R Collier were the other members of the class and gave evidence "as given by the 4^th witness" (ie Pte Nichol).

L/Cpl Jones was then recalled and gave additional evidence. He said:

The Court accepted what they had been told and decided that the death was an accident and no-one was to blame. Their verdict was:

However, when on 30^th April 1917 Lt Col Thynne, the CO of XV Corps Mounted Troops, sent the Court of Enquiry papers up the chain of command in XV Corps, he did not take the same view:

Brigadier Frith, Corps Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quarter Master General, agreed, replying to Lt Col Thynne on 1^st May 1917:

A brief note is included within Harry's papers stating that: "Disciplinary action has been carried out". Another note states, however, that L/Cpl Jones was not put on a formal disciplinary charge because he had been exonerated by the Court of Enquiry. But he had been "admonished" by Lt Col Thynne, who "lectured" him - he was told to keep stricter watch on classes in future. No reference is made in Harry's papers to any action taken in relation to Lt Hill. Ironically, it was Lt Hill who had accompanied the draft of Cyclists to France, including Harry, to join 7^th Divisional Cyclist Company on 29^th December 1914.

Subsequently there was a flurry of correspondence at XV Corps over why improvised dummy cartridges had been used when "there has always been an ample supply of the dummy cartridges with metal bullets and holes drilled in the case, provided for by A.R.O. 669"; fairly swift action was taken to obtain sufficient supplies of the new dummy bullets meeting the particular regulations mentioned in Brigadier Frith's comments.

News of what had happened reached Dartmouth quickly. An announcement of Harry's death, though with no reference to the circumstances, appeared in the Dartmouth Chronicle on 11^th May 1917:

This preceded the formal publication of Harry's death in the casualty list, which was printed in the Western Times of 22^nd May 1917. This did identify the death as accidental:

Extensive coverage appeared in the Whitby Gazette on 25^th May 1917, presumably thanks to Harry's fiancee Miss Harland. It appears that letters of condolence were sent to her from Lance Corporal Pridham, who had been with Harry at the moment he was shot; and apparently, from Lt Hill also. The Whitby Gazette was much interested because of the time spent in the town by the 7^th Devons in the early months of the war:

Harry's papers, together with Commonwealth War Graves Commission records, show that he was buried in the German Hospital Cemetery at Moislains - which must have been the location for the ceremony described in Lt Hill's letter.

On 30^th October 1917, Frances received Harry's personal belongings, from Army Cyclist Corps Records at Hounslow, all recorded in detail in Harry's papers:

• one pair leather gauntlets
• one metal cigarette case
• one brass matchbox case
• one purse containing one blank disc and three farthings
• one jack knife
• one gold ring
• one leather wallet
• two cardboard wallets
• one comrades writing wallet with envelopes and paper
• one pair scissors
• one wrist watch with broken metal strap and cover
• one sparking torch
• one set upper false teeth
• one piece broken badge
• one address book
• one Testament
• one note-holder
• one soldiers diary 1916
• one Soldiers Prayers
• Correspondence-cards
• Photos in linen bag

Commemoration

Harry is now buried in the extension to the Peronne Communal Cemetery. After the Armistice, graves were brought in from battlefields north and east of Peronne and from several small cemeteries in the area, including all those in Moislains. His service papers confirm that his body was exhumed from Moislains and reburied in Peronne.

In Dartmouth, Harry is commemorated on the Town War Memorial and on the St Saviour's War Memorial Board (where the initial letters of his first and second name were inverted in error).

Sources

Army Service records for Harold Montague Mandley accessed through subscription websites, fee payable

War Diary for 7^th Division Divisional Cyclist Company available at the National Archives, fee payable for download, reference WO 95/1642/2

War Diary for XV Corps Cyclist Battalion available at the National Archives, fee payable for download, reference WO 95/930/2

Call to Arms: The British Army 1914-1918, by Charles Messenger, publ Cassell, 2007

Army Cyclist Corps

Information Held on Database

Surname:	Mandley
Forenames:	Harold Montague
Rank:	Private
Service Number:	564
Military Unit:	XV Corps Cyclist Bn, Army Cyclist Corps
Date of Death:	25 Apr 1917
Age at Death:	26
Cause of Death:	Accidentally shot
Action Resulting in Death:
Place of Death:	Near Moislains, France
Place of Burial:	Buried Peronne Cemetery, France
Born or Lived in Dartmouth?	Yes
On Dartmouth War Memorial?	Yes
On St Saviour's Memorials?	Yes
On St Petrox Memorials?	No
On Flavel Church Memorials?	No
In Longcross Cemetery?	No
In St Clement's Churchyard?	No
On a Private Memorial?	No
On Another Memorial?	No

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