A casualty 1914 Star to 9494 Pte S P Hartley: Dorset: R.

1914 Star to 9494 Pte .S.P. Hartley.Dorset: R. – A 1914 Casualty

A 1914 Casualty – Papers online.

Sidney Percy Hartley was born in Trowbridge Wiltshire in 1895. At the time of the 1911 census he was living in Poole,Dorset and working as a fish Hawker.

He attested to the 1^st battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment on the 8th of January 1913, joining the battalion in Belfast on the 10^th of January 1913.

Hartley’s service papers have survived, but are in very poor condition. What is clear is that there are a number of entries on his regimental conduct sheet in early 1914, although difficult to read.

Hartley landed in Franceon the 16^th of August 1916 with the rest of the first battalion. He served with the battalion until the 17^th of December 1914; he was sent back to England on the 18^th and died on the 19^th

Soldiers Died Great War lists Hartley as “Died”, it is possible he was wounded during 1914 and sent home, although he could have caught an illness. The battalion war diary for December notes a number of other rank casualties, of course no one by name. The medal is worthy of further research.

Sidney was laid to rest in Netley Military Cemetery in Hampshire.

Papers are included with the medal, on disc.

Medal = VF