Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Harold Stanley was born in 1897, to parents George and Elizabeth (Cunningham) Frost who were living at 7 Burnaby Terrace, Nottingham.  By the 1901 Census, Harold (3) was living at 17 Westwood Road, Nottingham with his parents and brother Alfred H (1).  His father was a lace machine fitter.

In the 1911 Census, Harold (13) was living at 54 Sedgley Avenue, Nottingham with his parents and siblings Nellie (8), Georgie (5) and Edna (3).  By then the youngest son Alfred H, had died.

Harold attested into the Territorial Army on 11 November 1914, and was appointed to the rank of Corporal.  He served with the 2/7^th (Reserve) The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment).  He passed through Peterborough East Station on 25 November 1916 and wrote “Friendship comes like sleep without us knowing it, but when it comes we should be thankful without any misgiving.”

He also wrote several lines in other languages:
“Virgis. mir nicht.
Ad infinnem
Le pour se vous.”

His war service was predominantly with the Home Service Employment Company where he rose to the rank of Company Quarter Master Sergeant in February 1919, whilst working in the Records Office.  He was discharged on 5 October 1919, but unfortunately his medal card could not be located so it is unknown what medals he was awarded.

Harold married Dorothy May Pledger on 27 November 1916 at Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire.  His military records include a death certificate for his 14 month old daughter Dorothy Joan, who died in January 1919 at Gamlingay, due to pneumonia and cardiac failure.

Following discharge from the army he was employed as a builder’s clerk and lived in Church Street, Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire.

He died in Nottingham in September 1931, aged 34 years old.

Please get in touch if you can tell us anything more about Harold and his family.