HARRY DURRILL WRINCH
Born: 15th February 1891, 41, Henley Road, Ipswich.
Died: 20th August 1916; age 25; Died of Wounds at Salonika.
Occupation: with Houlder Brothers and Co., Buenos Aires, Argentina.
At the outbreak of the war, Harry resigned from a position in South America in order to join the Army. He had seen service in France and the Balkans.
Harry was gazetted on the 1st December 1914, as Second Lieutenant for the Royal Field Artillery.
He was promoted in June 1916, to lieutenant.
Date of Entry Therein: 20th February 1915 – France.
Rank: Lieutenant.
Regiment: Royal Field Artillery, ‘B’ Battery, 115th Brigade.
Medals Awarded: Victory, British War & 1915 Star.
Grave Reference:
A. 77.
Greece.
Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Henry Cordy Wrinch & Janet Wrinch of Dingley Dell, Mill Lane, Felixstowe (late of Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex).
CENSUS
1891 41, Henley Road, Ipswich.
Harry was a month old and living with his parent & sister.
Henry Cordy Wrinch, 30, a Manufacturer of Garden Furniture, own account, born Ipswich.
Janet Wrinch (nee Edgar), 29, born Kentish Town, Middlesex.
Janet Violet Winch, 5, born Ipswich.
1 general domestic servant & 1 nursemaid.
1911 Walton Hall, Walton, Suffolk.
Harry was 20 years old, a Farming Pupil. He was boarding at the home of 64 year old Farmer, James Hobbs.
On the 11th January 1889, at 41, Henley Road, Ipswich, Harry’s brother Henry Edgar Cordy Wrinch died, he was just a few weeks old.
Harry was educated at Ipswich School – entered 1902, and at St. Gallen, Switzerland.
On the 22nd February 1922, Harry’s Victory, British War & 1915 Star medals were sent to his father Mr. H. C. Wrinch, at Boscobel Hall, Bournemouth.
Soldiers’ Effects to Henry Cordy Wrinch – father.
Harry is also remembered on the Ipswich School Chapel war memorial, at St. John the Baptist Anglican Cathedral, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the Sea Front, Felixstowe, also the Sea Front at Bexhill-on-Sea, and on the war memorial tablet in St. Stephen’s Church, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex.
Evening Star – Thursday, 14th September 1916 –
LIEUT. H. D. WRINCH
– The relatives of Lieut. H. D. Wrinch, R.F.A., who resides at Bexhill-on-Sea, have received notification of his death from wounds at Salonika. Lieut. Wrinch, who had many friends in Ipswich, resigned from a lucrative position in South America on the outbreak of the war in order to join the Army. He had seen service in France, as well as in the Balkans. The deceased, who was the only son of Mr. Henry Cordy Wrinch, late of Ipswich, was 25 years of age.
Bexhill-on-Sea Observer – 7th October 1916 – Lieutenant Harry Durrill Wrinch was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Wrinch, of La Masionette, No. 2., The Down, Bexhill-on-Sea. He was an excellent linguist, speaking bot French and German like a native and having almost as great proficiency in Spanish and Italian. At the outbreak of war he resigned his appointment in South America in order to serve King and country, and had a perilous journey home in October 1914. Harry was gazetted second lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery on the 1st December 1914, and promoted lieutenant in June 1916. He was in action with the brigade from September to November 1915, when his brigade was ordered to another field of operations. His colonel had recommended Harry for the command of a battery.
PATERNAL GRANDFATHER
Harry’s paternal grandfather, Alfred Wrinch, was born February, 1833, at Harkstead, Suffolk, he was a farmer’s son. In 1858, Alfred married Catherine Lois Cordy, born 1836, Trimley St. Mary, Suffolk, daughter of Charles Cordy, a farmer at Searson’s Farm, Trimley St. Mary, as a tenant of the Duke of Hamilton and then later of Colonel Tomline. Alfred Wrinch was an ironmonger, he set up a shop at 17, Butter Market, Ipswich, where he sold an immense variety of articles both useful and ornamental – from garden furniture, fireguards, lamps, coal vases, sausage machines, sewing machines, Canadian washing machines (on an iron or wood stand), and even ice skates in all sizes. Alfred also sold the best medium of artificial heat yet invented, the Gill Air Warmer suitable for churches, public buildings and private homes. In 1867, Alfred Wrinch fitted two powerful Gill Air Warmer’s in the Council Chamber of the new Town Hall at Ipswich.
In the early 1870’s Alfred set up a wrought iron foundry in Portman Road, Ipswich. As horticultural engineer, Alfred became a manufacturer at his new St. Lawrence Works of all types of garden furniture, including garden chairs, benches and tables, garden arches, water barrows, wheel barrows, sack barrows, step chairs, step ladders, watering cans and melon and cucumber frames.
Alfred was also in partnership with fellow ironmonger, Alfred Barnes, born 1840, in Saxmundham, Suffolk, of Cumberland Street, Woodbridge, Suffolk. In October 1882, the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent. The iron furnishing and manufacturing business at Church Street, Woodbridge was carried on by Alfred Barnes in his own account, and employed 10 men and boys.
In 1877, Alfred had built a new family home at ‘Hill Crest’ Paget Road, Ipswich. Alfred served on the Ipswich Town Council since 1871, becoming serving as Mayor of Ipswich in 1880 – 1881. During his year as mayor Alfred laid the foundation stone for the Corn Exchange, and in July 1881, opened the new High Street Museum, Library and Science and Art School buildings. He worshipped at St. Lawrence Church, and in his later years worshipped at All Saint’s Church, fulfilling the duties of churchwarden. Alfred Wrinch died in July 1903, at ‘Hill Crest’ Paget Road. He was laid to rest at Section L, Ipswich Old Cemetery.
Royal Field Artillery, ‘B’ Battery, 115th Brigade
In early August 1916, a major offensive began near Lake Doiran, Salonika against the Bulgarian army. British and allied forces, including three French and one British division. 45,000 troops and over 400 guns were used for the attack on positions.
The attack commenced on 9th August, with further attacks on the 10th, 15th,16th and 18th using heavy artillery fire on the Bulgarian-held positions The British 7th Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and 11th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment took Horseshoe Hill at 2.30 a.m. (August 18th), with fire support from the 115th Brigade artillery of the 26th Division. The Battle was at a great cost to the Allied forces.
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