Romille HARKER

11 December 1914

GRASSINGTON – 7,000 Miles to the Front

Mr. Romillie Harker, third son of the Rev. Bailey J. Harker, of Grassington, has arrived in England from the Argentine, after a voyage of over six weeks, the steamship being much delayed by having to dodge the German cruisers. Mr. Harker paid a short visit last week-end to his parents, and left on Sunday evening for the King’s Liverpool Regiment at Seaforth Barracks. There are many wishes for his safe return from the Front, to which he is expected to go almost immediately.

09 July 1915

GRASSINGTON – Letters from Sergt. Romille Harker

Two most interesting and descriptive letters have been received from Sergt. Romille Harker (son of the Rev. Bailey J. Harker, of Grassington), who went to the front on June lst. With that dated June 10th, 1915, was a pressed crimson poppy flower from the trenches. He is in the B Company of the lst Battalion the King's Liverpool Regiment. In the letter he says:– “Since I wrote last we have had another spell of four days in the firing line; my platoon has no lieutenant over it so I am in complete charge, and continually employed with one duty or another. We (my platoon) came out short of four men wounded - head, arm and hand - but I myself was again among the fortunate ones.

“You may be curious to know my feelings when under fire, but really I have experienced no marked change when in action, except that it be I feel more satisfied with myself, and become aware of a certain exhilaration such as I have felt in a football or cricket match.”

The second letter is dated Friday, 2/7/15, but was not finished till the following day. In this, Sergt. Harker continues:– “We finished our last spell in the trenches (4 days in the firing line) on Sunday morning, and have since had 4 days in billet in a small town some four miles away from here, for we returned to almost the same position yesterday morning (Thursday). Our last spell cost us about 25 casualties in the battalion, these being the victims of mine explosions and shell fire principally. On one occasion a ‘Jack Johnson’ burst in the midst of a ration party of 14, only three being left without a souvenir of some kind, and one of the men (Walsh) had his head blown completely away. My platoon came out without anything more than a bullet graze. Pte. McGoverny having two neat little holes through the coat sleeve just about the shoulder.

“I saw a copy of the ‘Craven Herald’ of last week. Pte. Maudsley, of Giggleswick origin (he attended the Grammar School there) received it from home.”

13 August 1915

GRASSINGTON – Serg. Romille Harker

Those who read ‘T.P.’s Weekly’ for July 31st, would find that Corporal Joseph H. Tombs, who won the Victoria Cross on June 16th, is in Serg. Harker’s Platoon. Letters continue being received by the Rev. B.J. Harker, of Moorside, Grassington, father of the latter, which bear testimony to the valour and grit displayed by all our soldiers in the firing line.

08 October 1915

CRAVEN AND THE WAR – DEATH OF SERGT. R. HARKER, GRASSINGTON

We regret to learn that news has been received of the death, in action on September 26th, of Sergt. R. Harker, son of the Rev. Bailey J. Harker, of Grassington. No official confirmation had up to yesterday morning been sent to the bereaved parents, with whom deep sympathy is felt.

15 October 1915

HARKER – Killed in action in France on September 26th, 1915, aged 36 years, Sergt. Romille Harker, of the 1st King’s Liverpool Regiment, beloved son of Mrs. and Rev. Bailey J. Harker, of Moorside, Grassington. Deeply regretted.

“He was the soul of honour, magnanimous and brave.”

15 October 1915

SERGEANT ROMILLE HARKER KILLED IN ACTION

Much sympathy will be extended to the Rev. Bailey J. Harker of Grassington, upon the receipt of official information received last Saturday of the death of his eldest son, Sergt. Romille Harker, of the 1st King’s Liverpool Regiment, who was killed during the current heavy fighting in France.

The sad intelligence reached the parents unofficially on Thursday last week. It was contained in a letter written by a comrade of Sergt. Harker to relative Pte. Hilton. The first communication briefly stated that “Romille Harker is killed,” Further details as to how he met his death were forthcoming in a subsequent letter.

From this it appeared that the unfortunate young fellow was first wounded in the leg and was heard to call for the stretcher-bearers. Immediately afterwards he was hit in the head, and as he fell received three more shots in the body. The writer of this letter, in a further communication to Pte. Neville Harker, of Bolton, refers to Sergt. Harker as having “died game,” and adds that he was buried in accordance to the rites of his Church.

Sergt. Harker was born at Eccleshall, Staffordshire, 36 years ago, and was educated at Caterham Congregational College. For 16 years he was employed as clerk and cashier at a factory in Bolton, Lancashire, but about three years ago obtained a position as foreign correspondent to the Central Argentine Railway at Rosarlo de Santa Fe.

While at Bolton he was a member of the Territorial Battalion, and on the declaration of war was one of about half a dozen employees of the Central Argentine Railway who answered the call – since then about 300 have joined the Colours. He made the 7,606 miles voyage to England in a tramp steamer and was on the way five weeks, the greatest vigilance having to be exercised in avoiding the German commerce raiders, who were at that time in the midst of their piratical campaign.

Sergt. Harker enlisted as a private in the lst King’s Liverpool Regiment and was soon promoted to the rank of sergeant. He might have remained in this country with the rank of Quarter-Master-Sergeant, and prospects of still further promotion, but he preferred to remain with this regiment and left England for France on his birthday, June 1st. Since that time he has been more or less in the firing line, and was appointed sergeant of the bomb throwers in ‘B’ Company.

Deceased was a young man of modest disposition, but possessed a charming personality and considerable intellectual attainment. He was an artist, a literary critic, and wrote much poetry, while he was a keen naturalist. He was a frequent visitor to Grassington when resident in this country, and was very popular in the neighbourhood.

Since receiving news of the sad occurrence, the Rev. B. J. Harker has found the following verses, written by the deceased on the fly leaf of a book, which in present circumstances are singularly appropriate:–

Mid the busy toll and rush.
Some poor souls are sighing;
Here amidst a holy hush
Lies a good man dying.

Why those useless, welling tears?
Why that trembling finger?
Death for good men has no fears
Save for those who linger.

Selfish still we 'gin to mourn,
For our circle broken;
Garb of grief is meekly worn,
Or some death-like token.

But our brother hears the songs
Happier saints are singing;
To that home that knows no wrongs
His free soul is winging.

Constant for his Master here,
In his course diurnal;
Christ will lead him gently there
Into peace eternal.

13 October 1916

HARKER – October 5th, 1916, at ‘Moorside,’ Grassington, Rev. Bailey J. Harker, in his 74th year.

04 October 1918

HARKER – In affectionate remembrance of the Rev. Bailey J. Harker, of Grassington, who departed this life October 5th, 1916, and of Romille, his third son, killed in action September 25th, 1915, at the Battle of Loos.

Moorside, Grassington.

10 October 1919

HARKER – In loving memory of the Rev. Bailey J. Harker, who passed away Oct. 6th, 1916; also of Romille, his third son, who was killed in action September 25th, 1915.

“Resting in Peace.”

Moorside, Grassington.

08 October 1920

HARKER – In affectionate remembrance of the Rev. Bailey John Harker, of Moorside, Grassington, who passed away October 5th, 1916; also of Romille, third son of the above, who was killed in action at the Battle of Loos, September 26th, 1915.