5485, Private, 8th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment
Septimus Hare was born on 25th July 1879 in Winterton, and was the son of James & Elizabeth HARE. In 1881 Septimus and his parents were living in Park Street, Winterton and by 1891 he had moved to 9 Fosters Yard, Gainsborough. Septimus doesn’t appear in the 1901 census, but he reappears in 1911 at 5 Victoria Street, Gainsborough.
Septimus enlisted in Gainsborough. He disembarked on 6th September 1914, but was killed in action at Armentières on 6th January 1916, aged 36 and is buried in Cité Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentières, France. The war diary for that particular day states “Bn in trenches. Trench 69 heavily bombarded. Casualties 1 killed, 9 wounded (one serious)”. His Medal Index Card shows that he was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
UPDATE: Photo and additional information below kindly supplied by Gainsborough historian Peter Bradshaw
Extracts from Gainsborough News 4th February 1916: Septimus fought along with his brother James in the South African War and “they were on the reserve when war broke out, both living in Gainsborough, James married and Septimus living at home. They immediately rejoined the Colours, and landed in France with the gallant 1st Lincolns at the very onset of the war, coming into contact with the German advance at Mons. Here, on the 16th September, James was killed, being the first Gainsborough soldier to fall in the war. Septimus, who saw his brother fall, took part in all the early battles in those critical early stages of the war in which the little British Army played so brave a part. He was invalided home wounded, and just before Christmas went back again to the firing line, being attached to the 8th Lincolns. He had only been up a week when on January 6th, he was killed by a “whizz-bang” which fell in the dugout where he was getting his breakfast.
The article goes on to say that his sister received a letter from Private T W Cook, of the 8th Lincolns. He said:- “Poor old Sep. We were the best of pals. We came away from Grimsby together and always stuck together. I am pleased to tell you he was put away nice and comfortable, in a nice coffin and the Union Jack was placed over it and a proper service held. I was only five yards away when he was killed. We all thought our time had come. It happened at 7.30 in the morning, January 6th. The enemy started shelling our trenches, and we had a terrible time. We only lost one killed and twelve wounded, but poor old Sep was the one that got killed. I dare not tell you where he is buried, but it is a nice little cemetery behind our lines. I went across the other day to have another look and a nice white cross marks his grave with his name and regiment on it. Give my greatest sympathy to your mother. You can't tell what my feelings were when this lot happened, for I was pals with both your brothers, Jim and Sep, but we don't know whose turn it is going to be next”.
Septimus Hare was born on 25th July 1879 in Winterton, and was the son of James & Elizabeth HARE. In 1881 Septimus and his parents were living in Park Street, Winterton and by 1891 he had moved to 9 Fosters Yard, Gainsborough. Septimus doesn’t appear in the 1901 census, but he reappears in 1911 at 5 Victoria Street, Gainsborough.
Septimus enlisted in Gainsborough. He disembarked on 6th September 1914, but was killed in action at Armentières on 6th January 1916, aged 36 and is buried in Cité Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentières, France. The war diary for that particular day states “Bn in trenches. Trench 69 heavily bombarded. Casualties 1 killed, 9 wounded (one serious)”. His Medal Index Card shows that he was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
UPDATE: Photo and additional information below kindly supplied by Gainsborough historian Peter Bradshaw
Extracts from Gainsborough News 4th February 1916: Septimus fought along with his brother James in the South African War and “they were on the reserve when war broke out, both living in Gainsborough, James married and Septimus living at home. They immediately rejoined the Colours, and landed in France with the gallant 1st Lincolns at the very onset of the war, coming into contact with the German advance at Mons. Here, on the 16th September, James was killed, being the first Gainsborough soldier to fall in the war. Septimus, who saw his brother fall, took part in all the early battles in those critical early stages of the war in which the little British Army played so brave a part. He was invalided home wounded, and just before Christmas went back again to the firing line, being attached to the 8th Lincolns. He had only been up a week when on January 6th, he was killed by a “whizz-bang” which fell in the dugout where he was getting his breakfast.
The article goes on to say that his sister received a letter from Private T W Cook, of the 8th Lincolns. He said:- “Poor old Sep. We were the best of pals. We came away from Grimsby together and always stuck together. I am pleased to tell you he was put away nice and comfortable, in a nice coffin and the Union Jack was placed over it and a proper service held. I was only five yards away when he was killed. We all thought our time had come. It happened at 7.30 in the morning, January 6th. The enemy started shelling our trenches, and we had a terrible time. We only lost one killed and twelve wounded, but poor old Sep was the one that got killed. I dare not tell you where he is buried, but it is a nice little cemetery behind our lines. I went across the other day to have another look and a nice white cross marks his grave with his name and regiment on it. Give my greatest sympathy to your mother. You can't tell what my feelings were when this lot happened, for I was pals with both your brothers, Jim and Sep, but we don't know whose turn it is going to be next”.