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Remembered Today:

Lt Col J.H.M.Hardyman Somerset Light Infantry


ARMAGH

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Whilst researching names from Armagh in the Armagh Ulster gazette I came across this very young Lt Col J.H.M.Hardyman

I would like to find out more details about him,I know his Grandmother was in Armagh,but no other details of his Armagh connections,

Any member have details of his service record?

Major (acting Lt Col) J.H.M. Hardyman who has died, was a grandson of the late Mrs Forshall the Mall and was only 22 years of age.

HARDYMAN, JOHN HAY MAITLAND

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel

Date of Death: 24/08/1918

Age: 23

Regiment/Service: 8th Bn Somerset Light Infantry

Awards D S O, M C, Twice Mentioned in Despatches

Cemetery BIENVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY F.Z.S.S. Son of George Hardyman, M.B., F.R.C.S., and Eglantine Henrietta Keith Hardyman, of Perrymead Court, Bath. F.Z.S.

Many thanks

Joe

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John H M Hardyman was a poet. His book 'A Challenge' was published in 1919. You can read it online: http://www.archive.o...00hard_djvu.txt

I can't find any mention of Armagh but I found this online:

JOHN HAY MAITLAND HARDYMAN September 28th, 1894, in Bath.

Fettes College, Edinburgh, 1908- 11.

Open Scholar, 1909.

Edinburgh University, 1911-14. Arts Course.

Students' Representative Council, 1912-13-14.

Enlisted, 4th Somerset Light Infantry, August 20th, 1914.

R.F.C. training at Brooklands, December, 1914, to January, 1915.

Commission in 9th Somerset Light Infantry, February 5th, 1915. Acting Adjutant, 7th Somerset Light Infantry, Ware- ham, 1915. Attached Brigade Staff, Swanage, 1915. Attached Divisional Staff, Salisbury, 1916.

Lieutenant and Adjutant, 8th Somerset Light In- fantry, 1916. Captain, April, 1917. Major, April, 1917. Brigade Liaison Officer, 1917.

M.C. London Gazette, i8th July, 1917. Attached Divisional Staff, Acting Brigade-Major, 37th Division, 1917-18, Elected to Council of Union of Democratic Control, 1917. Lieutenant-Colonel, May, 1918. D.S.O., August nth, 1918 (London Gazette, October 15th, 1918. Killed in action, August 24th, 191 8, at Biefvillers. Buried in British Military Cemetery in Biefvillers, with full military honours, August 24th, 1918.

post-51557-0-90974900-1332280032.jpg

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De Ruvigny's has him born in Bath also, however Ireland, Casualties of the War 1914-1918 has him born in Monaghan.

His birth was regsitered in Bath Dec quarter 1894, although I suppose he could still have been born in Ireland?

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In the 1901 Census his parents are listed as being born in Scotland and all the children as being born in Bath.

I've found a John Hay Hardyman recorded as marrying in Armagh in 1861 but I don't know what the connection is.

De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour describes him as 'the youngest of his rank in the British Army'.

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In 1891 his father, George Hardyman (a surgeon), was married to Constance Trueman, a British Subject from Victoria, Australia.

Constance died in Bath in April 1892 after the birth of the couple's first child, Constance Christian. George married again in July 1893.

In the 1881 census George is a student at Fettes College and is listed as being born in Bangalore, India.

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John H M Hardyman was a poet. His book 'A Challenge' was published in 1919. You can read it online: http://www.archive.o...00hard_djvu.txt

I can't find any mention of Armagh but I found this online:

JOHN HAY MAITLAND HARDYMAN September 28th, 1894, in Bath.

Fettes College, Edinburgh, 1908- 11.

Open Scholar, 1909.

Edinburgh University, 1911-14. Arts Course.

Students' Representative Council, 1912-13-14.

Enlisted, 4th Somerset Light Infantry, August 20th, 1914.

R.F.C. training at Brooklands, December, 1914, to January, 1915.

Commission in 9th Somerset Light Infantry, February 5th, 1915. Acting Adjutant, 7th Somerset Light Infantry, Ware- ham, 1915. Attached Brigade Staff, Swanage, 1915. Attached Divisional Staff, Salisbury, 1916.

Lieutenant and Adjutant, 8th Somerset Light In- fantry, 1916. Captain, April, 1917. Major, April, 1917. Brigade Liaison Officer, 1917.

M.C. London Gazette, i8th July, 1917. Attached Divisional Staff, Acting Brigade-Major, 37th Division, 1917-18, Elected to Council of Union of Democratic Control, 1917. Lieutenant-Colonel, May, 1918. D.S.O., August nth, 1918 (London Gazette, October 15th, 1918. Killed in action, August 24th, 191 8, at Biefvillers. Buried in British Military Cemetery in Biefvillers, with full military honours, August 24th, 1918.

Many Thanks sandie

So he was KIA, a real high flier.

Joe

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In 1891 his father, George Hardyman, was married to Constance Trueman, a British Subject from Victoria, Australia. In the 1881 census George is a student at Fettes College and is listed as being born in Bangalore, India.

Constance died in Bath in 1892 after the birth of the couple's first child, Constance Christian..

Thanks Sadie

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Joe

A correction her full name was Annabella (Annie) Gibson Paton she married Stewart Maxwell in Armagh in 1851 then John Hay Hardyman in Armagh in 1861. He died in 1871 and she later married an Edward Forshall (b.1832) from London.

Her father William Paton was the Chief Magistrate of Armagh.

Dave

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Joe

A correction her full name was Annabella (Annie) Gibson Paton she married Stewart Maxwell in Armagh in 1851 then John Hay Hardyman in Armagh in 1861. He died in 1871 and she later married an Edward Forshall (b.1832) from London.

Her father William Paton was the Chief Magistrate of Armagh.

Dave

Thanks very much for that Dave. I now have quite a bit of background information on the family.

Any one have any details on how Lt Col Hardyman was killed in action?

Joe

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I can't find anything that gives any details of his death but you might be interested in these -

He was wounded in December 1916. I was surprised to find this reported in The Straits Times (Singapore). The paper only reported on officers: http://newspapers.nl...61230.2.55.aspx

This article is about his memorial and family grave: http://www.thisisbat...tail/story.html

Here is his grave: http://twgpp.org/inf....php?id=2438162

Rooting around online, I also found this:

We are currently researching the life of Lt Col John Hay Maitland Hardyman D.S.O, MC, born in Bathwick 1895 and killed by enemy action in France in 1918. The Hardyman Family lived for a time in Great Pulteney Street, later moving to Perrymead Court. If there are any descendants of the Hardyman family living in the Bath area or anyone that has any knowledge of them elsewhere we would like to hear from you.

Please call 01225 463902.

SHEILA EDWARDS The Bath Local History Society

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  • 1 month later...

Whilst researching names from Armagh in the Armagh Ulster gazette I came across this very young Lt Col J.H.M.Hardyman

I would like to find out more details about him,I know his Grandmother was in Armagh,but no other details of his Armagh connections,

Any member have details of his service record?

Major (acting Lt Col) J.H.M. Hardyman who has died, was a grandson of the late Mrs Forshall the Mall and was only 22 years of age.

HARDYMAN, JOHN HAY MAITLAND

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel

Date of Death: 24/08/1918

Age: 23

Regiment/Service: 8th Bn Somerset Light Infantry

Awards D S O, M C, Twice Mentioned in Despatches

Cemetery BIENVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY F.Z.S.S. Son of George Hardyman, M.B., F.R.C.S., and Eglantine Henrietta Keith Hardyman, of Perrymead Court, Bath. F.Z.S.

Many thanks

Joe

Earlier this week (May 2012) I happened to be wandering around a Victorian cemetery in Bath (http://widcombeassoc...0cemeteries.pdf) and noticed a rather charming small marble image on a memorial gravestone to John Hardyman with the inscription that he had been ' the youngest Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army' and so I made a note to research his name.

The small marble statue on this memorial is of a small child holding a wreath. On the other side I recall there was an inscription to the memory of his young sister who had died in the1890s I think.

It all looked rather poignant in this overgrown location deep in a valley near Bathwick Hill.

Hope this adds to your knowledge,

Regards

Christopher Nash

PS: In Anne Powell's anthology of Great War poets 'A Deep Cry', she quotes that Hardyman requested if he was killed that his epitaph should read:

'He died as he lived, fighting for abstract principles in a cause he did not believe in'

He must have been an interesting young man!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello Christopher

That is very interesting,will add it to the rest of the details that I have, do you have a photo of the marble statue?

Many thanks

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I can't find anything that gives any details of his death but you might be interested in these -

He was wounded in December 1916. I was surprised to find this reported in The Straits Times (Singapore). The paper only reported on officers: http://newspapers.nl...61230.2.55.aspx

This article is about his memorial and family grave:http://www.thisisbat...tail/story.html

Here is his grave:http://twgpp.org/inf....php?id=2438162

Rooting around online, I also found this:

We are currently researching the life of Lt Col John Hay Maitland Hardyman D.S.O, MC, born in Bathwick 1895 and killed by enemy action in France in 1918. The Hardyman Family lived for a time in Great Pulteney Street, later moving to Perrymead Court. If there are any descendants of the Hardyman family living in the Bath area or anyone that has any knowledge of them elsewhere we would like to hear from you.

Please call 01225 463902.

SHEILA EDWARDS The Bath Local History Society

Hello Sadie

Sorry for the late reply,many thanks for the details,I will let you know you I get on.

Joe

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Armagh

I have asked a friend living near the Widcombe Cemetery in Bath to take a photo and send it to me. Will forward it when I receive it.

Christopher

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Armagh

I have asked a friend living near the Widcombe Cemetery in Bath to take a photo and send it to me. Will forward it when I receive it.

Christopher

Christopher

Thank you that is very kind you.

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  • 11 years later...

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