Rev. Theodore Bayley Hardy, VC 20 Oct 1863-18 Oct 1918.

[seaJane]

Theodore Bayley Hardy
Chaplain Theodore Hardy c.1918
Born	20 October 1863 Exeter, England
Died	18 October 1918 (aged 54) Rouen, France

 

MOD commemorated him on DefenceNet this morning - this from Wikipedia.

MOD text: 

Although he became one of the most highly-decorated non-combatants of the Great War, this former school master was described by one of his pupils as, 'the last person you would expect to win a VC.'  In 1914, Hardy was a quiet, unassuming 51-year-old vicar in the Cumbrian fells.  He applied to serve as a Chaplain but was rejected several times due to his considerable age.  Hardy was eventually accepted into service after the war took its toll on the younger generation of Chaplains, especially in the slaughter of the Somme.  

 

In the Autumn of 1916, he found himself deployed as Chaplain to a transit camp on the channel coast of France.  This was not enough for Hardy, who felt called to serve at the front.  The Army agreed to transfer him to the Lincolnshire Regiment in December 1916.  Hardy lived with the troops in the forward trenches, dodging the constant gunfire, handing out sweets and cigarettes, writing letters for the troops and helping carry the wounded to safety.  Seeking to better earn the trust of the men, he took to visiting them at night in the trenches, whilst conducting his Chaplaincy duties by day.  He often went without sleep and a visiting General once commented that Hardy appeared to be 'asleep on his feet' during his own service.

 

On the 31st July, the battle of Passchendaele began with an attack in which the Lincolns suffered 177 casualties of all ranks.  All this time Hardy was with his men, helping the stretcher bearers extricate the wounded from the mud at night.  In October 1917, Hardy was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) 'for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty', whilst rescuing wounded men from no-man's land throughout the night, despite himself suffering a broken wrist. This was followed by the award of the Military Cross (MC) in December 1917, for repeatedly going out under heavy fire with the stretcher bearers.

 

In the spring of 1918, the Lincolns fought in the Somme, where Hardy was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for a series of fearless actions, including rescuing a wounded man from within 10 yards of an enemy pill box, whilst constantly under fire.  On the 9th August, HM George V personally presented Hardy with his medal in France.  Hoping to remove him from further danger, the King suggested that Hardy return home and become his Chaplain.  Hardy declined the King's offer; determined to stay with his men, he returned to his Battalion.

 

On 10th October 1918, Hardy was hit by machine gun fire whilst crossing a bridge at night.  The first soldiers to reach Hardy remembered him saying quietly: 'I’ve been hit. I’m sorry to be a nuisance.'  Hardy died on 18th October, three days before his 55th birthday and less than 4 weeks before the Armistice.  Hardy was buried in the cemetery at St Sever, near Rouen, and his medals are held by the Museum of Army Chaplaincy at Amport House.

 

Hardy was undoubtedly an inspiration to the men with whom he served, as well as to future generations of military Chaplains.  He was one of 3 Army Padres to win the VC during WW1, 67 who were awarded the DSO and a further 449 the MC.  Hardy is also one of the 179 Army Chaplains who died in the Great War.  In recognition of their sacrifice, King George V conferred the prefix ’Royal’ on the Army Chaplains’ Department. 

 

In this Centenary year, several events mark Hardy's service and the wider contribution of Army Chaplains during WW1. On 5 April, a VC pavement stone was laid near Hardy's birthplace in Exeter, by the County Council and Royal Army Chaplains’ Department.  This event, which coincided with his VC-winning actions in April 1918, formed part of Op REFLECT.

 

On Sunday 21 October, the Hardy VC Service will be led by Army Chaplain Rev Paul Swinn at Hardy's former church at Hutton Roof in Cumbria; this service has been held in memory of Hardy every decade since October 1918. 

 

From 9-11 November, the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department will mark the end of the Centenary commemorations of WW1 with a tribute to Rev Hardy at Salisbury Cathedral, as part of a wider exhibition on the role of Padres during the Great War. Serving Chaplains will discuss the historical contribution of military Chaplains and their roles in modern service life. 

Edited 19 October , 2018 by seaJane

[Mark Hone]

Theodore Bayly-Hardy is commemorated on the War Memorial at Hutton Roof in Cumbria, which I visited a few weeks ago.