Pte. James Owen Hartshorn
British Army 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders
from:Thurmaston, Leicester
James Hartshorn, served with the 6th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders during WW2. The 22-year-old Jimmy joined up in February 1940 and after marrying his sweetheart in Leicester in May 1940, went off to serve his country with so many of his peers. Unfortunately, in 1941, less than a year after they were married, his new wife was stricken with tuberculosis and sadly died. Jimmy, after mourning the loss of his wife, re-joined his battalion in Madagascar. He was an Engineer/Driver and was concerned with keeping the British forces mobile in the harsh and unfamiliar terrain in India and the Middle East. From Iraq he travelled to join the British North Africa Forces in Libya, in their defence against Rommel, before crossing the Mediterranean to fight in Anzio. From Anzio he went North to Rome and towards the end of the war on to the Rhineland to help the Allies regain control in NW Europe.
He was released, with exemplary conduct, on the 1st of June 1946 to go home to family and remaining friends in Thurmaston. He went on to marry again, raise a family and live out his days in relative contentment, despite the mental and physical scars of battle, and the loss of his first love.
