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Harold Geoffrey Dane
British Army The Hampshire Yeomanry (Carabiniers)
from:Erith, Kent
My father Harold (born Jan 16 1884)was an apprentice joiner in the shipyards, with John I Thornycroft. He enlisted Aug 4 1914, seeking adventure, and served initially in the Cavalry, seeing action in France. Group C, Southampton was disbanded and the members placed in the infantry.
However, dad had proved himself valuable with his carpentry skills and was given additional training (in 1916?) and assigned to Number 6 Observation Group, Field Survey Company, Royal Engineers, British Expeditionary Force, France (sapper #521715).
He spent the remainder of the war at the front, including 18 months at Paschendale.
His lucky number was 2: he was promoted from the ranks twice, and demoted twice; he was mentioned in dispatches twice, and he was a witness at two court-martials, and the accused were declared innocent in both cases (amazingly, the witnesses saw nothing).
Dad credited his survival to his Captain, an "upper-class" man who stood up for his men, persuading his superiors that they were too valuable to risk on full offensives, although they did do duty as scouts. I have in my possession a map of the Front, Belgium and Part of France, dated September 29, 1918 (Sheet 28 SW) complete with mud and dad's reference marks and notations. Following the war, armed with glowing references from his Captain, dad rejoined Thornycroft and completed his training, becoming a Master Joiner. However he had, in today's jargon, post-traumatic stress, and was unable to hold a job although he had many opportunities including a stint building airplanes. Shortly after the war he attended the Carabinier's reunion, and concluded that he was the only survivor of Group C.
Dad emigrated to Canada in 1920, joined his brother on his homestead on remote northern Vancouver Island, and after a year of isolation "was cured".
