HARTLEY Reginald

Educated at Bromsgrove School and New College, Oxford. B.A. (1914)

Reginald Hartley was born in 1891.  He attended Bromsgrove School from 1903 to 1910 where he was Head Monitor, played in the XV, was Captain of the XI and was Captain Colour Sergeant in OTC.  Hartley was of those who leave their mark wherever they pass. At School it seemed only natural that he should be Head Monitor, Football Captain, Cricket Captain and holder of every office in turn.  He had from early youth the rare combination of literary gift and practical efficiency and athletic skill; an appearance of unusual distinction; the keenest interest in nature and in life.  “The Bromsgrovian”, not only when he was himself Editor, owed much to his ready pen and his graceful lines, sung at the laying of the foundation stone of Kyteless, were a tribute which he delighted to offer to the School.  The war broke out just as he was leaving Oxford, and he hastened to offer himself for service. Though military life in itself had no attractions for him, he knew that he could manage men, and that brought its own reward.  It is fitting that he should have fallen in an effort to save one of his wounded.

Source: Bromsgrove School at War 1914-19 by Philip Bowen and Bromsgrove School at War 1914-19 by David Cross.

The following information has been researched by Geoff Hill:
1911 Census
York Training College, Lord Mayor’s Walk, York.
Reginald J Hartley, aged 21, Student Teacher
Family resident at 30 Droitwich Road, Worcester
Tom Curtis Hartley (father), Sub Inspector of Schools, Board of Education, mother, 1 brother and 1 servant.

The Battle of Loos took place from 25th September – 13th October 1915 in France on the Western Front. It was the biggest British attack of 1915. The 10th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment was involved in the Action of Pietre on 25th September 1915, which was an attempt to divert German reserves away from the major attack at Loos. Pietre is near Neuve-Chapelle.

It is possible that Reginald Hartley was wounded during the Pietre action and subsequently died of his wounds in a medical unit at Festubert – some 6 kilometres south of Neuve-Chapelle. However, there is no readily available evidence to support this contention.

A photograph of Lieutenant R. Hartley can be found in Berrow’s Worcester Journal Supplement, Saturday 25th September 1915, available at Worcestershire Archives.