AS part of our project to remember Redditch’s war dead from 100 years ago, this week we focus on Harry Wheeler, who was killed on May 10, 1917.
Little is known about Harry’s life in Redditch except that he was born in 1893 in Crabbs Cross and the family lived on Evesham Road.
His father was Thomas Wheeler but his mother’s name is not recorded.
However thanks to the work of Great War historians we know quite a lot about Harry’s death and the administrative and military mess that led to it.
He served in the 16th (Service) Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, also known as the 3rd Battalion of the City of Birmingham battalions, the famous Birmingham Pals.
On May 8, 1917, the 3rd’s sister battalion, the 2nd Birmingham Pals, was ordered to attack the German held village of Fresnoy near Arras.
The unit was moved forward early to its jumping off point, but then their initial orders were countermanded and then re-issued, resulting in the soldiers milling around under constant German artillery fire.
Eventually the attack was abandoned until 2am the following morning. At the appointed hour this was duly pressed home by the 2nd Pals who reached their objective of Fresnoy but with horrendous losses – 206 men killed, wounded or missing.
Unable to hold on to their gains, they retreated to their jumping off point, where they were relieved by the 3rd Birmingham Pals, Harry’s unit.
However by this time the Germans had their guns ranged fully on the British frontline and the 3rd endured four days of heavy bombardment in which 25 men lost their lives, including Harry Wheeler.
Harry, who was 23 when he died, is remembered on the St Lukes (Bridge Church) war memorial.
With thanks to Remembering Redditch’s Fallen Heroes; The Birmingham Pals – T Carter; and http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/
