Tipton

Private 60580 Lewis Hallard

Killed in Action on Sunday, 29th September 1918, age 19.
Buried in Grave II. C. 8. at Lindenhoek Chalet Military Cemetery, Heuvelland, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

15th/17th Bn., West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own). 93rd Brigade of 31st Division.

Son of Mr and Mrs Hallard, of 112, Lea Brook Rd., Wednesbury, Staffs.
Born: West Bromwich, Enlisted: Tipton, Resident: Unknown.

First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives survived and transcribed.

Commemorated on the St. Mark's Memorial.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/449294/

Genealogical Data

1901 Census
199 Dial Lane, Golds Hill, West Bromwich, Staffs.
Samuel Hallard (30, Boat Loader, born Tipton), his wife Elizabeth (29, born Tipton), and their 3 children: John Thomas (4, born Hill Top), Lewis (2, born Hill Top), and Joseph (9 months, born Hill Top).

1911 Census
112 Leabrook Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Samuel Hallard (40, Coal Wheeler in Foundry, born Tipton), his wife Elizabeth (40, born Tipton), and their 6 surviving children of 12: John (13, Coal Wheeler in Foundry, born West Bromwich), Lewis (12, School, born West Bromwich), Joseph (10, School, born West Bromwich), Fred (8, born West Bromwich), Jonathan (2, born West Bromwich), and Elizabeth (2, born Tipton).

Personal Data

Lewis Hallard lived at 112 Leabrook Road, which is probably in Wednesbury, but close to the Tipton border. His name appears on the St. Mark's Memorial hence his appearence here relating to Tipton men.

Lewis initially attested on 2nd March 1916 when he was not quite 17 years of age. He was added to the Reserve and mobilised on 28th April 1917 in Tipton, he was just 18 years old and a Labourer. He was 5 feet 7½ inches tall, weighed 120 pounds with a 34-inch chest, with good physical development.

Initially with the 5th Training Reserve with numbers 28487 and 17870, Lewis spent time training at Brocton Camp on Cannock Chase. He transferred to 7th Reserves, West Yorkshire on 1st December 1917 at Rugeley.

Lewis embarked 1st April 1918 for France and was initially posted to the 1/6th West Yorkshires before posted to the 15th/17th Battalion on the 17th April. He had spent a week in 95th Field Ambulance from the 8th to 15th May 1918.

After Lewis's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £6/14/8d (6 pounds, 14 shillings and 8 pence); this was paid to his father, Samuel, in May 1919. His War Gratuity was £6/0/0d (6 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his father in December 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Lewis had enlisted in approximately April 1917.

Action resulting in his death

The 15th West Yorkshires (1st Leeds Pals) and the 17th West Yorkshires (2nd Leeds Pals) were amalgamated in December 1917 to form the 15th/17th West Yorkshires part of 31st Division.

By early September the 31st Division was pursuing the German retirement along the River Lys on the Franco-Belgian border. On the 28th September, the 2nd Army attacked to the north of Ploegsteert, aiming to force the Germans to retire from Messines and Ploegsteert Wood areas. This met with some success but the Germans counter-atacked during the day. On the next day, the 29th, the Germans did withdraw.

The 29th September was one of the last days that the 15th/17th West Yorkshires were in action, and it was the day Lewis Hallard was killed. He is buried in Lindenhoek Chalet Military Cemetery near Kemmel, 6 miles south west of Ypres.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.