Harry Leslie Dell Barnes

This story is shared with the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher. Photo source: Ruth Barnes, FindAGrave

Harry Leslie Dell Barnes was born on the 21st June 1915 in the Registration District of St Pancras, London. He was the son of Richard & Laura Elizabeth Barnes (née Pratt) who had married in 1907. They were living at 3, Underhill Street, Camden Town.  He was baptised on the 5th of July 1915 in the Parish Church of St. Michael, Camden Town. His father, Richard, worked as a Warehouse Porter (Paper Makers).

By the time of the 1921 census and the family were living at 5, Pleasant Passage, St. Pancras. Richard and Laura now had three children: Thomas Barnes, aged 12 years; Richard Barnes, aged 9 years and 7 months old; and Harry Barnes, aged 6 years and 4 months. Harry's father had been working but was recorded as being currently out of work.

Sadly, Harry's mother was to die in the September quarter of 1927, aged 57 years. Harry's father would find employment as a butcher. I do not know when he died, but suspect he it was between 1921 and 1939, as by then the boys had moved on.

The 1939 Register tells us that Harry's brother, Thomas, was working as a Blocker (Optical Lenses) and had got married. They were living at 7 Gilbert Grove, Burnt Oak, Hendon, Middlesex. Harry was living with them and was working as a Packer (Perfumery). His other brother, Richard, is not mentioned in the Register as he had joined the Navy as an Ordinary Seaman in 1929. He would survive the war and served in the Navy until May 1949 when he was invalided out.

Harry was to join the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. He served in Sicily as we find him recorded in the the British Army Casualty List as being 'Missing now not Missing' on the 15th July 1943.

However, by the time of D-Day he is in the 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, and he was in the thick of it all. The battalion landed on Gold Beach and was tasked to capture Le Hamel and Asnelles-sur-Mer but they faced stiff resistance from the defenders. Harry was killed and buried in Asnelles-sur-Mer and was reinterred on the 4th of November 1944 in Bayeux British Cemetery, where he now lies. There is a poignant message on the gravestone - IN LOVING MEMORY. REST IN PEACE. DICK AND TOM.   He was obviously loved very much and missed by his brothers.