Sergeant Bert Harrop/Anthony Eden

[Skipman]

Anthony Eden appears to have been awarded his MC for his part in a raid/patrol at Ploegsteert about early August 1916, apparently saving the life of his platoon Sergeant Bert Harrop. Who was Bert Harrop (number if possible), am not seeing any great candidates in the 21st Battalion KRRRC?

Mike

 

[DavidOwen]

There is a sergeant Wilfred Herbert Harrop KRRC 5573 who enlisted 1903 and served through to 1918 - service papers on FMP British Army Service Records 1914-1920 Image | findmypast.co.uk Not sure if he may be your man.

He was promoted to Sergeant on 7-7-1916.

[DavidOwen]

He is the only Sergeant with such a first name on FMP in KRRC.

It might not be him as he was posted to Depot on 16-8-1916...

[DavidOwen]

A pension record is on Fold3 but I cannot see the detail.

[PRC]

20 minutes ago, DavidOwen said:

It might not be him as he was posted to Depot on 16-8-1916...

Couldn’t that be a reflection of him arriving in the UK as a result of medical evacuation – an administrative posting while he received inpatient treatment.

5573 Sergeant W.H.Harrop appears amongst the wounded of the K.R.R.C in the Official Casualty List that appeared in the edition of The Times dated September 12, 1916. So that would imply a combat wounding.

As nothing more than a potential guide to the period this OCL relates to, other KRRC men recorded as killed in the same list.
16586 Private J.W. Barrass – CWGC 12th Bn, died 10/08/1916
3245 Private G. Gillespie. – CWGC 11th Bn died 08/08/1916
15197 Private W. Kilburn. – CWGC 12th Bn died 06/08/1916
16522 Private W. J. Lane. – CWGC 12th Bn died 08/08/1916
1656 Private J. Sutton. – CWGC 11th Bn died 08/08/1916
12378 Private W. Thorne. – CWGC 11th Bn died 08/08/1916
1307 Private J.F. Weston. – CWGC 16th Bn died 09/08/1916

Cheers,
Peter

[DavidOwen]

Courtesy of Papers Past clinches it  Papers Past | Newspapers | Greymouth Evening Star | 3 November 1937 | LIFE SAVED BY MR. EDEN (natlib.govt.nz)

[DavidOwen]

Wound is confirmed in service record (courtesy FMP)

 

[DavidOwen]

A photo of the man taken from Eckington, Woodhouse and Staveley Express 28 January 1939 (courtesy FMP)

[Bordercollie]

When the medals came up for sale in 2020 The Times reported that the reason for the award of the MC was a mystery.  The Conservative Party historian, Lord Lexden wrote to the newspaper to correct them as follows: 

"Sir, There is no “mystery” about Anthony Eden’s Military Cross (“Auction of Eden’s MC highlights his heroics”, News, Nov 2). He was first recommended for it in August 1916 after rescuing his company sergeant from no man’s land during the Battle of the Somme. (After 33 operations the man recovered and gave Eden “a very pretty gold pen-knife” which was kept on his writing table. “It is always there”, he recorded in old age.) After Eden’s name had been resubmitted the medal was awarded to him in the week of his 20th  birthday the next  year. His commanding officer wrote to his mother on June 16,1917: “He has worked so hard and has the battalion so very much at heart that all ranks are delighted to hear that he has been given the Military Cross. I do trust that he will come safely through the war and that he will have a very successful career.”

One wonders if the resubmission was in the same terms as the original recommendation or was it strengthened.  Anthony Eden must be among the youngest recipients of the Military Cross in the First World War.

[Skipman]

Am just in and thank you all very much, that's excellent work. Will study.

 

Mike

[Skipman]

4 hours ago, DavidOwen said:

There is a sergeant Wilfred Herbert Harrop KRRC 5573 who enlisted 1903 and served through to 1918 - service papers on FMP British Army Service Records 1914-1920 Image | findmypast.co.uk Not sure if he may be your man.

He was promoted to Sergeant on 7-7-1916.

That's got to be him David thank you and thank you all. So the action for which Eden won the MC took place on the evening of 16th August 1916.

 

Mike

[Don Regiano]

3 hours ago, Skipman said:

That's got to be him David thank you and thank you all. So the action for which Eden won the MC took place on the evening of 16th August 1916.

 

Mike

War diary refers to nightly patrols "9/16" August when they were at Ploegsteert Wood. 

 

4 hours ago, Bordercollie said:

The Conservative Party historian, Lord Lexden wrote to the newspaper to correct them as follows: 

"Sir, There is no “mystery” about Anthony Eden’s Military Cross (“Auction of Eden’s MC highlights his heroics”, News, Nov 2). He was first recommended for it in August 1916 after rescuing his company sergeant from no man’s land during the Battle of the Somme.

Perhaps Lord Lexden's grasp of history and geography is failing him in his old age.  According to the war diary they weren't at the Somme front until around a month later (Pommiers Redoubt and then Delville Wood).