Private William Hartley

Regiment:

Green Howards, The First Battalion (Alexandra Princess of Wales Own Yorkshire Regiment)

Born:

26/09/1933 Stockport, Cheshire

Died:

Active Service 02/05/1952 aged 18.

Buried:

Seremban Christian Cemetery, Negri Sembilan, West Malaysia

Born in Stockport his father was an entrepreneur who had set up a coach business in Manchester in the 1920’s. He quickly saw the commercial benefits of trips to the tourist hotspot of Blackpool and he moved his family to live on the coast where later his parents became managers of a hotel and they bought real estate in Bispham, Blackpool. They then took up business opportunities in hotels and a farm in Whitby, North Yorkshire.

William (Bill) completed his secondary education in Whitby and on leaving school he took up service with local farmers in the district. He ws called up for National Service in November 1951 and underwent training in Richmond and York. He was home on leave in March 1952 and then afterwards he sailed from Liverpool to Malaya on the Empire Pride.

Bill was a handsome young man with striking blonde hair. He was a good sportsman and played football for his school and was an active member of the Whitby Youth Club. He enjoyed the company of both his pals and the local girls as reflected in the photos of him treasured by his family. The fifth child of his parents but the first son he was mature beyond his years with a great sense of humour and of courses his parents were devoted to him.

His letters home from the ship were upbeat… ‘lovely weather all the way (from England to Columbo, Ceylon, now Sri Lanka) up to now and with cigs at two shillings for 50 players and beer at 8d a pint I am not having such a bad time’. He loved seeing the sharks and turtles swimming in the lovely clear blue seas.

He enjoyed watching films which also helped to defeat the boredom on the 8,000 miles journey. He wrote… ‘ On guard today, of the 1,500 men on the ship they had to pick me, still there is nothing to it just watching fellows falling overboard. If you get chance to sleep in a hammock – don’t, it’s bloody awful. You can’t get in and when you do, you can’t get the blankets over yourself. When you get in it’s hot but when you wake up in the middle of the night you are frozen’.

He really enjoyed the wonderful scenes from the ship writing about the bay of Biscay (a bit rough the seas but I didn’t fell sick), lovely sights on the coasts of France, Portugal and Spain, Tunisia, Malta also Sicily, Port Said, Gibraltar and Ceylon. However he was understandably frustrated and disappointed that when only a few hundred yards from shore he was unable to visit those wonderful places. Never the less he remained optimistic about the future. ‘ It will be interesting comparing Whitby girls with the pretty girls of Singapore’. ‘Now that I am well clear of England I’m going to cut loose’.

Here was a man full of expectation and excitement with the whole world in front of him. Five days after disembarking he and three other soldiers were killed in a tragic motoring accident which shocked and grieved the whole battalion. A truck carrying a wiring party got out of control on a steep hill and crashed into a water tower with disastrous consequences. Bill and his comrades were buried with full military honours and a Memorial Service was held in a crowded garrison church. Later a service of dedication was held on the 7th March 1953 by the Venerable Archdeacon of Richmond at Richmond Parish Church. The service was a memorial for those who gave their lives in Malaya. His name is engraved in the Chapel of that Parish church and on the Roll of Honour.

We will never forget him.