Capt Jocelyn Lee Hardy, DSO, MC and bar

[corisande]

Thanks Mark

So it looks as if he spent the rest of his time until he was wounded with the Inniskillings.

It is difficult to follow LG entries - his MC citation says "Connaught Rangers" but it would say that, I think (anyone correct me), if he were attached to Inniskillings.

Putting the question differently, was he with Inniskillings when he won MC.

And there again was he wounded and lost the leg in the MC action.

[mhifle]

Hi,

This is from the 1911 Census. Looks like his father was born in Ireland

Regards Mark

Reg. District: Berkhampstead Sub District: Berkhampstead Parish: Enum. District: 7

Address: Mr Hardy Hillsbrooke Berkhamsted County: Hertfordshire

Name Relation Condition/Yrs married Sex Age Birth Year Occupation Where Born

HARDY, Howard Head Married 19 years M 57 1854 Woollen Merchant Co Down Ireland

HARDY, Katherine Wife Married 19 years F 39 1872 St Georges Westminster

HARDY, Jocelyn Howard Son Single M 16 1895 School Boy Kensington London

BLOOMSFIELD, Edith Servant Single F 23 1888 Domestic Servant Uxbridge Middlesex

[mhifle]

Hi,

This is from the 1901 Census.

Regards Mark

Reg. District: Kensington Sub District: Kensington Town Parish: Kensington Enum. District: 9

Ecclesiastical District: St Barnabas City/Municipal Borough: Address: 31, Edwardes Square, Kensington County: London

HARDY, Howard Head Married M 47 1854 Woollen Merchant Ireland

HARDY, Katherine Wife Married F 29 1872 St Georges Hanover SQ London

HARDY, Marjorie H Daughter Single F 8 1893 Kensington London

HARDY, Jocelyn H Son Single M 6 1895 Kensington London

BALK, Caroline Servant Single F 22 1879 Cook (Domestic) Chelsea London

TEZZARD, Rose Servant Single F 24 1877 Housemaid (Domestic) Chobham Surrey

[mhifle]

On his way to Japan in 1936

Regards Mark

Passenger lists leaving UK 1890-1960

Name: Jocelyn HARDY

Date of departure: 4 December 1936

Port of departure: London

Destination port: Yokohama

Destination country: Japan

Date of Birth: 1895 (calculated from age)

Age: 41

Marital Status: Married

Sex: Male

Occupation: Author

Notes:

Passenger recorded on: Page 6 of 16

The following people with the same last name travelled on this voyage: -

Kathleen HARDY

Ship: RAWALPINDI

Official Number: 147827

Master's name: R C Dene

Steamship Line: P & O S N Company

Where bound: Yokohama, Japan

Square feet:

Registered tonnage: 9459.17

Passengers on voyage: 344

Travelling First Class

Address: Rougham, Kings Lynn, Norfolk

[mhifle]

Returning from Japan 1937

Name: Jocelyn Hardy

Birth Date: abt 1890

Age: 47

Port of Departure: Yokohama, Japan

Arrival Date: 12 Mar 1937

Port of Arrival: London, England

Ports of Voyage: Yokohama, Kobe, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Penang, Colombo, Cochin, Bombay, Port Said, Malta, Marseilles, Gibraltar and Tangier

Ship Name: Rawalpindi

Search Ship Database: View the 'Rawalpindi' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database

Shipping Line: Peninsula and Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd

Official Number: 147827

Occupation Farmer

[corisande]

Mark

The chap managed to avoid Collins hit men, but he cannot escape you!

Thanks for all that. His father's connection by birth to Ireland is interesting, and would explain why the son went into an Irish Regiment. Though why Connaught Rangers rather than R Irish Rifles for the Co Down connection?

[mhifle]

Obituary from the Times

Part II

[Carmania]

Corisande

I've looked for a photo in the ILN but without success I'm afraid. Neither is there one accompanying any of the tributes in The Times.

Aled

[corisande]

Aled

Thanks for trying. Amazing how much has been written about him

Mark

That obit is really useful, and fills in a lot of corners.

Interesting how the obit never mentions his service in Ireland, and in fact his time as a POW is what he wanted to be remember by..

[Carmania]

Interesting how the obit never mentions his service in Ireland, and in fact his time as a POW is what he wanted to be remember by..

Briefest of mentions here:

[mhifle]

Some more Army Lists

Regards Mark

8 Aug 1914 Army List

Connaught Rangers

1st&2nd Battalions

2nd Lieutenant

2Hardy JL, 24Jan14

31 Dec 1914 Army List

Connaught Rangers

1st&2nd Battalions

Lieutenant

2Hardy JL, 21Sept14

28 Nov 1917 Army List

Connaught Rangers

1st&2nd Battalions

Lieutenant

Hardy JL, 21Sept14

[mhifle]

The Times 19 March 1918

[mhifle]

The Times, Friday, Jan 01, 1915

[mhifle]

The Times, Monday, Aug 29, 1925;

London Gazette. Supplement, August 25.

[mhifle]

The Times, Wednesday, Jun 04, 1958

[mhifle]

The Times, Thursday, Jun 05, 1958

[corisande]

Thanks Mark,

Another bright new day here, and I am back on Hardy's trail

The first of the letters to the Times calls him "a many sided Ulsterman" , so he must have portrayed himself as an Irishman even after retirement. One wonders if he had an Ulster accent - if he had, I will probably pick that up from stuff on his interrogations, as undoubtedly republican prisoners would have commented on it.

[mhifle]

Hi,

Just came across this

Regards Mark

The Key

(1934 b 71')

En: 5 Ed: 5

http://www.san.beck.org/MM/1934/Key.html

Based on a play by R. Gore-Brown and J. L. Hardy, a British officer sacrifices himself to save the husband of his old flame amidst the British-Irish conflict in Dublin.

In 1920 Dublin the British army imposes a midnight to 5 curfew while they search for Sinn Fein leader Peadar Conlan (Donald Crisp). Andy Kerr (Colin Clive) tells his wife Norah (Edna Best) he killed Kirby. British Captain Tennant (William Powell) arrives, reports to General Furlong (Halliwell Hobbes), and is given an apartment in the same building as his old friends Andy and Norah. He explains to Norah that he left her three years ago because he would not be a good husband. She says she is married and happy. Tennant puts on an overcoat and mingles with the Irish, meeting liaison O'Duffy (J. M. Kerrigan). The general orders Tennant to find Conlan; but before his men can search the Key, there is a shoot-out.

Tennant comes to take Kerr on duty; but Norah begs him not to go because she is afraid. Kerr goes. Norah tells Tennant they don't love each other any more; but they remember when they were happy together. Looking for Conlan, Kerr shoots one of his men and captures Conlan. He tells Norah he will get 1,000 pounds, and they can go on vacation. Then he finds Tennant there. Norah asks Tennant to leave and tells Andy that he is the "someone else." Kerr goes out, and Norah has Tennant go after him. The British army sentences Conlan to hang. Kerr goes to a bar and is abducted by Sinn Fein. Tennant tells Norah he loves her more than his freedom; but she says she loves Andy.

O'Duffy tells the general he is opposed to all killing, that Kerr was taken alive, and that they will trade him for Conlan. Norah asks the general to save her husband; but he says this is an army. Tennant gets in to see O'Duffy but cannot make a bargain for Kerr. So Tennant breaks into the general's desk and forges a release order for Conlan. Kerr is let go because Conlan was released. Amid Irish celebrations the general orders a search for Conlan. Lt. Merriman tells the general it was Tennant who forged the order, meaning the end of his career. Tennant tells Kerr that Norah was in love with a memory but now she realizes she loves her husband. Tennant turns himself in and faces at least three years in prison.

The historical British-Irish conflict provides a somewhat educational context for this romantic melodrama in which a romantic bachelor saves his friend by gallantly breaking army rules. Meanwhile the wife learns the difference between a romantic affair and a loving marriage.

[corisande]

Thanks Mark

Just trying to see how much of that is autobiographical.

I am not sure that British officers could get £1000 for the capture of Collins?Perhaps money was on the table in the form of "bonuses" - anyone know?

Hardy went round with William Lorraine King (he is next on my list to go into in depth, these are my notes on him) in the Dublin as a "double act". King may have been divorced after Ireland (I have still to check this). Hardy was married before he went to Ireland, and I am not sure if he took his wife or not.

[mhifle]

Hi,

Here is a note in the 2nd Battalion War Diary 29 Aug 1914

Mark

[corisande]

Thanks Mark

[mhifle]

Hi,

6th Battalion Connaught Rangers 1918

Lieutenant J L Hardy reported for duty from the base 19 April 1918

Hi,

I think this 'base', could be the ‘L’ Infantry Base Depot at Beaumaris, Rouen, France.

I know that the Connaught Rangers had some 3rd Echelon Staff based there in 1918 and I have noted alot of new drafts being sent out to the Connaught Rangers via this base during 1918.

Regards Mark

[corisande]

OK Mark, I have added that snippet

I have tracked down Capt Hardy's Rolls Royce which sold at auction in 2006 for £212,000

[mhifle]

From 1914

The 2nd Battalion The Connaught Rangers was stationed at Aldershot in Jan 1914.

Orders to mobilze at 3pm 4 Aug 1914

The battalion was at Frensham on divisional training.

By 7 Aug 1914 351 Reservists had joined.the Battalion

By 9 Aug a further 2 drafts of Reservists of 236 & 48 Other Ranks had joined.

13 Aug Mobilzation complete

13 Aug The second half of the Battalion consisting of C & D Companies under Major W S Sarsfield left Aldershot by train at 11am for Southampton

Head-quarters, A, B & D Companies with regimental transport boarded the SS ‘Herschel at midnight

14 Aug 1914 5.30pm reached Boulogne.and marched to camp there.

15 Aug in camp

16 Aug left by train for Busigny, marched from there to billets at Mennevret

17 Aug 2am arrived at Mennevret

17 to 20 Aug at Mennevret, drills & route marches

21 Aug marched to La Croise where they were billeted

22 Aug paraded at 3am and marched to Ponte-sur-Sambre and then to Bougnies where it entrenched at a cross roads 2 miles north of Bougnies

23 Aug Entrenching at Bougnies under German shelling

24 Aug 2nd Battalion starts retiring to Longueville

25 Aug Continued retirement to Pont-sur-Sambre and entrenched. Ordered to continue to retire received after a few hours towards Landrecies.

26 Aug Battalion acting as rearguard to cover the retirement of the 5th Infantry Brigade

In action at Le Grand Fayt

Regards Mark

[mhifle]

Hi,

Could this be him during WWII?

Regards Mark

EQUIPMENT BRANCH.

Promotion.

Pit. Offs. (prob.) to be Fig. Offs. (prob.) (war

subs.)

J. L. HARDY (142947).

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/360...upplements/2987

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/362...upplements/5493