My grandfather, Harold Howard #20434, was a Company Quartermaster Sergent of this platoon for roughly three months while they were billeted in Morcambe prior to shipping out to France. He reverted to Sergent at his own request as noted in his charred service record.
He was wounded (I believe at the Somme, but no documentation for date yet) sustaining a fractured femur from a booby trap grenade in a German trench. Amputation was considered, but they removed bone so that his leg was shortened by 4-5”. I remember having to watch out for his very thick-soled shoe which was heavy and probably difficult to move quickly.
He was in Grove Military Hospital, Tooting, when he was declared unfit for service and military discharge date was set at 21 days (vs normal 14/days) from date of Form 3484B so that he was separated on 11 Nov 1917.
He is on the 3rd row from the back, 4th man in from the right side.
He had emigrated to the US following two of his older brothers. In 1914 he returned to Manchester to visit his aging parents and while there the war broke out. He enlisted 12 Nov 1914. After his return in 1918 to the US, he was a pension officer at the British Consulate General Office.
Ruth
