Captain George Harbottle 1893 - 1998

Lt G HarbottleMachine Gun Corps, WW1.

 

George Harbottle was born in Gosforth in 1893 and was the son of Thomas Harbottle and the former Emma Townsley. He attended School on West Avenue, Gosforth and then Leys school, Cambridge. He left school at the age of sixteen and was apprenticed to the ship owning firm Cairns and Noble in the ship broking department. Just before the outbreak of World War One, he joined the 6th Battalion (Territorials) Northumberland Fusiliers and before arriving in France, on 21st April 1915, was a Lance Sergeant in "A" Company. His Battalion was part of the Northumbrian Territorial Division, later the 50th Division, which took part in the fateful battle of St Julien and actions in the Ypres salient. By June 1915 he was acting C.Q.M.S. The 6th Battalion was spared the initial attack on the Somme on 1st July 1916, but on 15th September was involved in an attack which involved tanks for the first time. By the end of 1916 George Harbottle was acting R.Q.M.S.
In 1915 George Harbottle had been offered a commission, but had refused it on the grounds of not wanting to leave his comrades in the 6th battalion. In January 1917 the offer of a commission came again in the form of an order.

At the end of January I was somewhat surprised to receive a chit from the Adjutant Captain Dawson a rather curt chit saying, “Herewith Form MT393. You will complete this and return it to the Orderly Room”. The form in question was the application for a commission. I wanted no commission and had already declined one at the end of 1915. I asked Gordon Hunter our Battalion Lewis gun Sergeant if he had been similarly attacked. He said he had and was willing to take a commission if he could go to the Machine Gun Corps but was not at all anxious to leave the battalion. However orders are orders and we duly completed the form and returned it. Later we attended Brigade headquarters and Major Anderson, the Brigade Major, waylaid us and told us how pleased he was that we had eventually decided to take commissions we should have had long ago. I told him I didn’t want one, whereupon he gave us such a lecture about the need for experienced N.C.O’s, which we were, to take commissions that we both felt like a couple of scrimshankers who were just not doing our bit. We both went in and meekly replied to the Brigadiers question “So, you want a commission do you ?” with “ Yes sir”.

Much of 1917 was spent at the Machine Gun school at Grantham and in Febuary 1918 2nd Lieut G Harbottle M.G.C was posted to “B” Company, 15th M.G. Battalion East of Arras. During the coming months he would be involved in the German offensive at Arras. Before leaving Arras he was transferred to “C” Company. In October 1918, after his company had moved to the Soissons area, he was awarded the Military Cross for an action at Buzancy Chateau.

T./2nd Lt. George Harbottle, M.G. Corps.
For gallantry and initiative during an attack. He was in charge of a section of machine guns, and under orders to occupy the grounds of a chateau when captured. Hearing the position had been captured, he took 'forward his guns under intense machinegun fire to his objective, got in touch with the infantry commander, and by his skilful selection of positions materially assisted the subsequent withdrawal of the infantry. He assisted in the reorganisation of the infantry, and enabled a firing line to be established on the line of his guns, maintaining his position until the situation became clear. Throughout the action he showed marked courage and ability.

After WW1 he returned to Newcastle and restarted his business career at the office of Mann and McNeal and Co Ltd. In 1922 he married Winifred Ellen Benson, the sister of his colleague, Henry Laurie Benson of the 6th Battalion N.F. and together they had five children.

During WW2 he served as Captain G Harbottle M.C. 9th Battalion, Ncle Central, Home Guard.

A keen golfer and cricketer he was president of the Northumberland Golf Club and the South Northumberland Cricket Club. At the age of 90 he commenced on a literary career and published the following books

The luck of the Draw, a story of youth, war and love in the first quarter of the present century

Civilian Soldier 1914-1919

Gosforth and its Parish Churches, a thousand years of History

The Northumberland Golf Club Story, a historical account of the first 80 years of the club.

Random thoughts in verse

More Random thoughts in verse.

Quayside lifeand the Commercial Exchange; and Octogenarian remembers

Elizabeth and her family.

He celebrated his 100th Birthday in 1993 and died, aged 104 in 1998.

 

If you have any information on George Harbottle or anyone who served in the Northumberland Home Guard, Newcastle Battalions please contact ph@ccoynblhomeguard.co.uk