2145. Private Robert George Harrington

As promised I have some further information about the recipient of the 1914 Star that I posted a photo of yesterday.  My hubby bought this medal along with a couple of others a while ago to complete his collection of World War 1 service medals.
Private Harrington was born in Aldershot but so far I haven’t been able to find his date of birth so I have no idea how old he was when he was killed.  The lack of records may be due to the fact that many records were moved during WW2 from their regional locations to London and were subsequently destroyed during bomb raids.  I found this fact out whilst researching my youngest son’s great grandfather at the National Archives in London many years ago and was deeply frustrated that up until WW2 his records had been kept in Perth where I live but had since been destroyed.
He joined up in 1914 in Guildford and was sent to France on 3rd August 1914.  My hubby’s research has indicated that it is highly likely that he was wounded at Mons or at the Battle of Nery.  The retreat from Mons started on the 23rd August and the Bays were ordered to protect a stretch of railway from Mons to Valenciennes and they experienced shellfire for the first time at Le Cateau.  On August 28th they suffered their first casualties.  It is highly likely that Private Harrington was amongst those wounded at Nery and he succumbed to his injuries after being returned home finally losing his life on 10th November 1914.
He was laid to rest along with the Commonwealth War Dead in Liverpool (Kirkdale) Cemetery and his name is commemorated there.

On this day it seems fitting to tell his brief story of his involvement in WW1 and reflect upon the fact that he was probably injured within the first three weeks of his deployment to the front line....a sobering fact and one which should never be forgotten.

It is deeply frustrating that we cannot find out more about him and I have searched online but so far his details have eluded me...I will keep looking as I would dearly love to know more about this one man who gave his life for so many.