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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
2nd Lt. Henry Stobbs
British Army 4th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Pryse House, St Johns Chapel, Co Durham
(d.26th Oct 1917)
My Great Uncle Henry Stobbs was known as Harry to friends and family. He came from a family who had a strong connection with the Primitive methodist movement in Weardale. Harry's father came from a Lead mining family in the upper dale but became a teacher and was Head teacher at St Johns Chapel Primary School during WW1. Uncle Harry attended Wolsingham Grammar School where apparently he was known for his skills in wrestling. He trained to be a teacher at Sunderland Training college around 1911. Prior to him enlsiting with the Durham Light Infantry in 1914 he was a teacher at Fencehouses near Houghton-le-Spring. He served with the DLI for 18 months as a Private, Lance Corporal and then Sergeant, fighting in the Battle of the Somme. He became a temporary 2nd Lieutenant in Jan 1917 and later that year he returend home to complete his Officer training. In August 1917 he received his commision and headed back to France as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 1/4th Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in the 2nd Battle of Paschendaele at Holthust forest on 26th October 1917 aged 26 years. Harry is buried at Poelcapelle British Cemetry and is remebered on the war memorial at St Johns Chapel in Weardale. He has a memorial Oak tree with his name in the grounds of Wolsingham school.Headstone at Poelcapelle British Cemetry
War memorial at St Johns Chapel
Uncle Harry at Tynemouth shortly beofre returning to France with the Northumberland Fusiliers.
Additional Information:
Mr William Stobbs, headmaster of the Council School, St John’s Chapel, has received some interesting letters from his son, Harry, who is at present somewhere in Belgium. Harry rejoined the College (Sunderland) Territorial Service Battalion at the outbreak of the war. When writing he said they had got to a base or resting camp 20 miles behind their former position. They had got back with little loss compared with the 6th and 8th DLI, and adds: “I have just had a good bath in the stream, and am feeling very much better, both in health and spirits. The mail has come in this morning and there are many letters and parcels for me, including your parcel. When you write again, please enclose a few oxo cubes, some saccharine tablets, as we get little sugar, and anything in the shortbread and sandwich biscuit line. Soft cakes are too liable to be reduced to crumbs. Also a few matches. have received a dozen matches from unknown sources since reaching this place, so someone remembers me. I have a decent billet in a barn. The historical old town close to is a heap of ruins.” Now Harry’s letter will be useful to those who want to sent parcels to soldier friends. Send them plum cake, “load”, oxo cubes, peppermints, butterscotch, acid drops, cigarettes, safety matches, newspapers. You can send a parcel not exceeding 3lbs weight for a shilling. Those of us who cannot go, can do a little bit to cheer our lads by sending parcels and newspapers.
Courtesy of Durham County Record Office and Durham at War
Susan Elliott
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