Harry Hay was killed in action on this day in 1915
Harry Hay was born on 2 July 1880 in Manchester. His father was Henry "Harry" Hay, a cotton goods merchant and shipper; his mother Alice Elizabeth Hay née Brooke.
In 1891, the family lived at 1, Withington Grove, Moss Side in Manchester. As well as Harry and his parents, there were his younger siblings - Annie (9), Alice Jenkins (7), and William (5) - plus a live-in domestic servant.
Harry was one of the first pupils at Hulme Grammar School, which opened its doors in 1895. Almost half of the children attending the school in the early days were from local families that owed their livelihood to the textile industry — mill owners and managers, textile manufacturers, textile machinery engineering companies and textile salesmen.
Harry completed his education in Germany.
By 1901, he was living with the family at 55, Withington Road, Whalley Range in Manchester, and working as a warehouse clerk. In 1911, they had moved to Elm Field, Upper Chorlton Road in Manchester and he, and his brother William, were working with his father as Fancy Cotton Dress Goods Merchants.
Harry became a member of the Manchester Territorials and, on 31 August 1914, he enlisted in the Rifle Brigade in Winchester.
On 23 December 1914, he travelled to France to join the 3rd Battalion in Armentières.
On 2 September 1915, the battalion relieved the 1st Battalion, The Buffs in trenches at LA BRIQUE, near Saint Jean, north east of Ypres. The Battalion War Diary reports 'heavy shelling' every day thereafter, with several men killed and wounded.
On 9 September 1915, Harry was killed by a small high-explosive shell while in his dug-out. Two other men were with him at the time and were both wounded, one seriously. The same shell also buried three other men in an adjoining dug-out.
He was buried at La Brique Farm which became La Brique Military Cemetery No.2.
His Sergeant Major wrote that "He always bore himself bravely, and underwent many hardships which we knew he was unaccustomed to, without complaining in any way".
Z/2215 Corporal Harry Hay 3rd Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own)