Harry Stephen Davy

Private - Service No.7890 - 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade

Although not mentioned on the Swardeston war memorial, Harry and his younger brother Otto are included here as they were both born and raised in Swardeston until they married and moved to Norwich, where they are commemorated. Their inclusion illustrates the typical sacrifice endured by the family of Walter and Emily Davy who saw at least seven sons and grandsons go off to war of whom three, Harry, Otto and Robert, did not return.

Harry Stephen Davy was born on 28th March 1880 in Swardeston, Norfolk, the son of Walter James Davy and his wife Emily (Hubbard). He was the eighth of thirteen children, Selina (1866), Herbert (1867), Walter (1870), Robert (1872), William (1874), Sarah (1876), Frederick (1878), Edward (1881), Emily (1884), Otto (1887), Ella (1888) and Etta (1891). Walter and Emily married on 1st January 1866 in Swardeston and lived there virtually all their lives, Walter initially being apprenticed, as a carpenter, to his maternal grandfather, James Hall, and then working for James and then James' son Daniel until taking over the business, by the turnpike, in the late 19th century. Walter died on 5th August 1904, in Swardeston, at the age of 60 while his widow, Emily, having moved to 35 Avenue Road in Norwich with married daughter Ella, died in 1925 having lived to the age of 79.

Having been educated at Swardeston, Harry left school and became a painter but, at the age of 20 he decided to join the army. On 18th June 1900, the same day as Henry Bobbin, Harry joined the Rifle Brigade, signing on for a total of 12 years (7 with the Colours and 5 in the Reserves) which would have taken him up to 1912 but he re-enlisted in 1911 for a further 4 years.

After receiving basic training Harry was posted to Dublin in October that year where he remained until December 1901 when he was posted to South Africa. Just over a year later Harry moved back to England for about eighteen months before being posted to Cairo, Egypt. In all he spend just under eighteen months in Egypt before being transferred to India in November 1905. He served in several places throughout India for just over two years until February 1908 when he returned to England and was placed on reserve and moved back to Swardeston.

On 28th May 1910, while on reserve from the army, Harry married Kate Caroline Stannard at the Norwich registry office. Kate was born in Stradbroke, Suffolk in 1889 the youngest of eight children of John Stannard and his wife Ellen (Botwright) of Wymondham but originally from Bedfield, Suffolk. After their marriage Harry and Kate moved to Lakenham, Norwich and Harry worked as a domestic gardener. On 16th August 1910 their first son Walter John Davy was born in Lakenham while Harry was still on reserve. Harry was re-engaged into the Rifle Brigade on 30th December 1911 and called up for active service in August 1914 at the outbreak of war. On 19th August 1914, just 14 days into the war, Harry was sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force and, five days later, on 26th August, he was reported missing presumed killed. On 24th January 1915 Kate gave birth to the couple's second son, Harry Russell Davy, who survived just 15 days before tragically dying of acute bronchitis on 8th February.

Harry was awarded the Queen's South Africa medal with Cape Colony, Orange Free State and South Africa 1902 clasps for his service in the South Africa campaign of 1899-1902. He was also awarded the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service during WW1. Harry is commemorated on the La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial - Stone 28A, just to the east of Paris, France.

Harry's widow, Kate, was awarded a pension for herself and one child, her second child having died, but she did receive Harry's medals and a Princess Mary Box that was awarded to all serving men at Christmas 1914.

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