Remembering Today Casualty Details | CWGC Serjeant CORLESS, HARRY Service Number 779862 Died 22/09/1942 Aged 42 159 Bty., 53 Lt. A.A. Regt., Royal Artillery Additional Information: Son of Henry and Alice Corless; husband of Dorothy Corless, of Bath, Somerset. Personal Inscription: ASLEEP IN GOD'S GARDEN FREE FROM SORROW AND PAIN WHEN LIFE'S JOURNEY IS ENDED I SHALL MEET YOU AGAIN Buried or commemorated at ALEXANDRIA (HADRA) WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY Grave Reference: 3. K. 17. Location: Egypt
779862 CORLESS Harry Sgt. 158 Battery 53rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery Born : 3rd May 1904 ? Haydock, Lancashire Enlisted in Sheffield 26th March 1928 for 3/9 years Transfered to the Army Reserve 25th March 1931 Re-enlisted in the 1st L.A.A. Regiment Royal Artillery 3rd July 1939 Died of wounds accidently inflicted 22nd September 1942 Age 38 Also killed in the same accident : 1529756 THURLEY Ronald Howard L/Bdr. 159 Bty., 53 Lt. A.A. Regt. Age 28 Born : 1913 Garrington, Oxford Casualty
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 Name: Harry Corless Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1931 Registration district: Bath Inferred County: Somerset Spouse: Dorothy May Volume Number: 5c Page Number: 1256 The problem then is finding his birth. So using his parents information and the fact he was born in Haydock area I came up with a result in the 1911 census but its for a Henry Corless who was named after this father Name: Henry Corless Age in 1911: 10 Estimated birth year: abt 1901 Relation to Head: Son Gender: Male Birth Place: Earlstown, Lancashire, England Civil Parish: Haydock Search Photos: Search for 'Haydock' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection County/Island: Lancashire Country: England Street address: 150 Station Road Haydock Marital Status: Single Occupation: School Registration district: Warrington Registration District Number: 459 Sub-registration district: Newton in Makerfield ED, institution, or vessel: 3 Piece: 23104 Household Members: Name Age Henry Corless 50 Alice Corless 45 Peter Corless 21 Edward Corless 19 James Corless 17 Deborah Corless 14 Emmanuel Corless 13 Henry Corless 10 Alice Corless 7 Auther Wolfe 25 Jane Wolfe 25 TD
Looks as though his father was actually William Henry Corless England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973 Name: William Henry Corless Gender: Male Age: 23 Birth Date: 1861 Marriage Date: 8 Mar 1884 Marriage Place: Upholland, Lancashire, England Father: Richard Corless Spouse: Alice Farrimond FHL Film Number: 1657546 Reference ID: en 52 p 26 So perhaps they have both slightly adapted their names with time, one from William Henry to just Henry and the son from Henry to Harry TD
That's him TD, born Earlstown. I wonder why he would give his age at enlstment as four years younger?
Harry was my great uncle. I wasn't born until 7 years after he died. He was my Mum's favourite uncle and apparently quite a rascal. I was interested to discover he died of wounds accidentally inflicted. The family story is that he stepped on a mine and was killed instantly. Perhaps a kindness to his widow Dolly, my great-aunt.