Person

Harry Maddison was born on 8 August 1892 at Browney Colliery. His father was furniture dealer and later theatre proprietor John Maddison (1870), from Spennymoor. His mother was Margaret Ann Maddison (1872), a coal miner’s daughter born in Carrville who later lived in Browney Colliery. His parents married in 1891. Harry was the eldest of five children, with two sisters and two brothers. He attended Browney Colliery Council Primary School. In 1901 the Maddison family lived at 68 High Street, Langley Moor. By 1911 they had moved to Church Street, Sacriston where Harry was working as a putter in a coal mine.

Harry enlisted as a private in the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) on 2 September 1914 but transferred to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) at Crystal Palace on 7 September 1914. He was rated as an able seaman with the service number KX/327. He joined the Hood Battalion on 9 September 1914 and it is likely that he was involved in the defence of Antwerp in October 1914 as he was awarded the 1914 Star. Successfully withdrawn from Antwerp, his unit moved to Egypt preparatory to the Gallipoli campaign. He was promoted to able seaman higher grade on 25 May 1915. Harry was discharged to the UK from Gallipoli on 28 September 1915 suffering from dysentery.

Harry was drafted to the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on 25 September 1916, re-joining the Hood Battalion. On 5 December 1916 he reverted to the rank of able seaman because of “highly improper conduct i.e. gambling with able seamen and did disobey orders of a superior officer”. He was promoted back to higher grade on 24 April 1917 and became a leading seaman on 12 September 1917. Harry was killed in action on the second day of the Second Battle of Passchendaele on 27 October 1917. No information was available as to the location of his grave. He is honoured on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, Zonnebeke, Flanders, Belgium, in addition to four memorials in his hometown.

Harry Maddison was awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service in World War One.

Civil Parish: Witton Gilbert

Birth date: 08-Aug-1892

Death date: 27-Oct-1917

Armed force/civilian: Navy

Residence: 68 High Street, Langley Moor (1901 census)
Church Street, Sacriston (1911 census)

Employment: Coal miner – putter (1911 census)

Family: Parents: John Maddison (1870), Margaret Ann Maddison nee Watson (1872)
Siblings: Mary Maddison (1896), Julia Maddison (1898), Thomas Maddison (1901), John Maddison (1903)

Military service:

KX/327
Able seaman
Able seaman higher grade, 25 May 1915
Leading seaman, 12 September 1917
Hood Battalion
Royal Naval Division

Medal(s): Victory Medal
British War Medal

Memorial(s): Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Flanders, Belgium
Plaque 1914-18, Council Primary School, Browney Colliery
Plaque 1914-18, St Peter’s Church, Sacriston
Plaque 1914-18 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Sacriston
Roll of Honour Fallen 1914-18, Institute, Sacriston

Gender: Male

Contributed by David D, Stanley, Co Durham