H. Ince

Bertram Harry Hince was born at Diddlebury, Shropshire, in 1888 where he was baptised at the Parish Church on 29th July. He was the son of Edwin Hince, labourer, and his wife, Louisa. The family lived in the hamlet of Bach Mill where, in 1891, Edwin worked as a rural postman.

By 1911, Bertram was living at Tinswell, Chelmarsh, and was working as a domestic gardener.

Bertram Harry Hince joined the 5th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry. He went to France with the battalion on 22nd May, 1915 and was killed in action a few days later on the 16th June. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

The Regimental History records:

FIRST ATTACK ON BELLEWAERDE, 1915
On the 16th June the 42nd Brigade took part in an attack which was made by a Territorial Division on the German trenches. The battalion on the night of the 15th dug itself in near the Ypres-Roulers railway line south-east of, and just outside, the walls of Ypres, and on the morning of the 16th, after listening to two hours' bombardment of the German trenches by our guns, marched at ten o'clock to support the attack. It was intended to support the centre, but on debouching from the railway cutting at "Hell-Fire" Corner the battalion came under a heavy fire of high explosive and other shells, and in consequence was diverted to the right. The two leading platoons of A Company did not receive the order to retire, and continued their way under heavy fire in the open to the original objective, a sunken road.
The remainder of the battalion, on reaching the high ground near Gordon House, came under heavy gun fire from the direction of Hill 60, and the platoons lost touch with one another. The trench which passes Gordon House being discovered, most of the battalion entered this and passed along it. It was already packed with men of all regiments taking part in the attack, and after reaching the low ground near and across the Menin Road it was so crowded that it was impossible to move.
About four o'clock a movement was made to retire, but no orders having been received it was impossible to know if the order which was passed from mouth to mouth was genuine. A heavy but fortunately inaccuratc fire from the German guns was being directed on the trench, and some men trying to leave the trench and run across the open were instantly shot down by the enemy. By degrees men of the various units crowded together, were sorted out and reorganised and in groups made their way back to their starting-place. A few hours after daybreak of the 17th the survivors of the battalion were back at Vlamertinghe. [Wood pp.128-9]

Private Bertram Harry Hince, 11506, KSLI, was awarded the Victory and British War Medals and the 1915 Star.