Hare Hall Camp

2/28th (2nd Artists Rifles) Battalion London Regiment trained at Hare Hall Camp in Gidea Park in the London Borough of Havering.

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Those known to have trained at
Hare Hall Camp
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Clissitt William Cyrus.
Ellis Guy S.. 2nd Lt. (d.12th Jul 1917)
Francis William Joseph. 2nd Lt. (d.23rd March 1918)

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253921

William Cyrus Clissitt 28th (Artists Rifles) Battalion London Regiment

It was 11th November 1918. Two young English soldiers, William Clissitt and Sydney Berkeley, were at Hare Hall Camp. They were both twenty, William was interested in writing and Sydney in music, so they got on well together. Then the dispatch came : it was the end of the First World War. Overjoyed to hear the news, they put their talents together and wrote a song, "Your Radiant Smile". Of course now, so many years later, the style is rather old fashioned, but it nevertheless expresses their immense happiness. Subsequently, Sydney Berkeley became a musician. After the war, William Clissitt became a journalist (and, at 24 years old, a very young editor) and today one of his grandsons has followed in his footsteps.
One day, quite by chance, we found this song among the music at home and since then, to perpetuate their memory, we play it on 11th November. To pay tribute to those who died in the 14-18 war and to two young people who were so happy to rediscover life and its radiant smile.
G. Clissitt Dars

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239747

2nd Lt. William Joseph Francis 11th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (d.23rd March 1918)

William Francis attested 6 June 1916, and was initially in the Artists Rifles (28th London) as a private. In Jan 1917 he applied for a commission, listing his present address as "D 'Coy' Hut no.1, 2nd Artists Rifles OTC, Hare Hall Camp, Romford, Essex." OTC is "Officer Training Corps".
He initially served as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 12th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, but in Jan 1918 this battalion was "rationalized" as part of a move to reduce the number of under-sized battalions, and the men were dispersed to other battalions, Francis ending up in the 11th Battalion.
When the Germans launched their major offensive known as Operation Michael (March 21st 1918), the 11th Battalion found itself under heavy pressure, and made a fighting retreat to take up defensive positions just south of the town of Jussy, behind a canal, reaching their position about 10pm.
At dawn on the 22nd they reported having units of mixed detachments holding their left flank, and the 7th Bedfords on the right, with the 6th Northants in support. The bridges had not been effectively destroyed in the words of the unit diary of the 11th Battalion, and German attacks began at noon. A general assault began at 3pm, and the position held by the Bedfords was briefly taken before a counter attack by the Northants drove back the Germans and reestablished the front by 6pm. (The junction between the 11th Battalion and the Bedfords & Northants was the railway bridge.) The Germans made determined efforts to cross the canal in the night but were beaten back. Although they didn't know it at the time, by dawn the Germans had succeeded in forcing the canal at Jussy on their left flank. At 6am on the 23rd they came under flanking fire from Jussy, forcing them off the canal bank. By 8.30am it became obvious that their left flank had been left completely in the air. An officer scouting on his own reported that the enemy had penetrated to a depth of a mile on their left flank, and held Holnon Wood.
Recorded under the entry for 10am, the unit diary says This retirement from close contact with the enemy who was pressing the Battalion from front and left flank was a very difficult operation. In covering the withdrawal of Bedfords & Northants the right flank also became exposed. The enemy pressing closely in large numbers cut off many of our men and very few were enabled to get back under heavy MG fire from both flanks. Capt. Brookling was here wounded and cut off after behaving with the greatest gallantry throughout the action.
At some point on the 22nd or 23rd March 1918, William Francis lost his life. His body was never recovered, and his military file contains extensive documentation of attempts to determine the date and cause of death. It was initially ruled that he was killed on the 22nd, based on the testimony of a private John J Goodman hospitalized in London, who stated that Francis was his platoon commander and that he had seen the body blown up by artillery, but with the face clearly visible. He is commemorated at the Pozieres War Memorial as having died on the 22nd.
However, subsequent correspondence from Capt Brookling from his POW camp in Germany would cause a reassessment. The German Red Cross Evidence Form contained the following: Date and place of disappearance: 23rd Mar 1918 Jussy. In a shallow trench near the Canal bank at Jussy. Was he killed outright? Yes. And by whom was he buried? The enemy overran the position a few hours after his death consequently he was not buried by British troops at all. Can the witness (state the names) of other witnesses? Several men near must have seen but unfortunately I cannot state any names.
William Francis Snr (Lt. Francis father) then investigated further. Correspondence to the War Office from Francis Snr stated that he had visited Private Goodman in hospital, and after talking with him and showing him a photo of his son, was convinced that Goodman was mistaken about the identity of the officer he'd seen killed. He also stated that he'd spoken with his son's fellow officers in the hospital, and one (not named) stated he'd been sniping with Francis the morning of the 23rd and another (2nd Lt Spence) had spoken to him on the telephone that morning.
Captain Brookling's father would forward a letter from his son to Francis Snr stating I am sorry to say that 2/Lt Francis was killed about 2 hours before I was captured, he was shot through the head; Francis did splendidly that day, he was a fine & gallant officer and I liked him immensely. Give my deepest sympathies to his people.
Based on the above, it appears that William Francis was probably killed on the morning of the 23rd as the battalion tried to extricate itself from close contact with the enemy.
William Francis left a widow (E. Maud) and a baby daughter (Eleanor). On Jan 1st 1919, his elder sister Margaret would marry a New Zealand corporal, and shortly thereafter his entire family would move to New Zealand.
Jonathan Markley

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218735

2nd Lt. Guy S. Ellis 57th Squadron (d.12th Jul 1917)

2nd Lt. Guy S Ellis served with 57th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps during WW1 and was killed in action on the 12th July 1917, aged 19. He is buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery in Belgium.
Born in Hull on 24th May 1898, Guy Ellis was studying for his Intermediate Civil Service exam when, on 29th September 1915, he joined the London Regiment (Artistsâ€™ Rifles) at Dukes Road W.C. at the age of seventeen years 4 months. The medical showed that he was 5â€™ 7.5â€ with a 37â€ chest. His physical development was described as fair.
Appointed Lance Corporal on 22nd April 1916, Guy had been languishing at Hare Hall Camp in Romford, Essex. He decided to apply for admission to an officer cadet unit with a view to getting a temporary commission for the duration of the war. Question 3. State in order of preference which branch of the Service... Guy wrote Flying Corps without hesitation.
His specific qualifications for the R.F.C. were considered by the selection board: Rides a motorcycle (though not a horse); can sketch; slight knowledge of electricity; moderate knowledge of the internal combustion engine; knows the whole process of photography; had map reading course; maths 6 books of Euclid, Mechanics, Trigonometry, Algebra. Sports: first XI cricket and football at school; boxing; running (100 yds., Â¼ mile, 220 yds., 120 yds., hurdles and high jump. Speaks French slightly. Not perfect qualifications for a pilot perhaps, but knowledge of photography would be useful for an observer.
Guy was accepted at No.1 Officer Cadet Battalion at Denham in Bucks on 6th September 1916. From Denham, he was posted to Oxford reporting for duty there on 13th November. He received his commission on 27th January 1917. The fact was noted in the London Gazette on 3rd February.
Holding the rank of temporary 2nd Lieutenant, he was seconded to 57 squadron stationed near Ypres. Here Guy settled down to the harrowing life of a young flying officer on active service. For most it was a pitifully short life, relieved only by drinking and joking in the mess in between sorties.
In July 1917 a new offensive at Ypres was planned. The aim was twofold; to break through the German lines and reach their submarine bases in Belgium, and to relieve the Russian army in the east. The RFC was playing a significant role in the build up both in combat and in reconnaissance. On 11th July, some two weeks before the battle began, an allied air offensive involving 700 aircraft began. The following day, Thursday, one of these aircraft took off with Guy Ellis in the rear as observer. When he returned, he would have to think about settling his mess bill, now standing at Â£1-5-8...
Itâ€™s not known whether it was a fighter or ground fire that hit Guyâ€™s plane, but as it plummeted towards earth, the one thing that might have saved him was a parachute. But it was not policy to give airmen parachutes, ...possession of a parachute might impair a pilotâ€™s nerve when in difficulties so that he would make improper use of his parachuteâ€¦, was the official view. And so 19 year old Guy was dead. The odds were stacked against him anyway, for by now the life expectancy of a junior officer in a front line squadron was anything from eleven days to three weeks.
S Flynn

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Hare Hall Camp

Want to know more about Hare Hall Camp?

Those known to have trained at Hare Hall Campduring the Great War 1914-1918.

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Recomended Reading.

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- Hare Hall Camp during the Great War -

Those known to have trained at
Hare Hall Camp
during the Great War 1914-1918.