Harry was born on 15 September 1875 in the Hambledon Registration District, Surrey, England, to parents Henry George Ranson (1850 – 1934) and Julia Ranson [nee Lipscombe, (1845 – 1924)]. Harry was the third child of eleven. In 1881, at the time of the Census, the family of 9 was living in Thursley, Surrey, England. In 1891, at the age of 16, Harry was still living with the family, which had grown to thirteen members.
Harry married Agnes Winson (1876 – 1934) on 3 December 1900, at St Peter’s Church, Hambledon. In 1901, they were residing together at Coombe Common, Chiddingfold; Harry was working as a Gamekeeper. Ten years later, they had four children:
Lily Ranson b. 10 October 1903
Alice Mary Ranson b.2 September 1906
Harry Ranson b. 8 July 1908
Robert Ranson b. 7 May 1910
Harry was still working as a Gamekeeper, and they were still living at Coombe Common. Over the ensuing four years, as the First World War approached, Harry and Agnes had two more children:
Gertrude Ranson b. 31 January 1912
George Ranson b. 25 May 1914
At the age of 40, Harry attested into the British Army on 2 November 1915, after receiving a notice from a Sergeant Fullma of the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment. Harry went into the Army Service Corps, following mobilisation on 8 November 1915, as Driver, service number T4/1444763. At the time of his attestation, Harry was working as a Gamekeeper for a Mr Pritchard of Coombe Cottages and was resident at Wittern, Coombe Court, Wormley, Surrey, England.
On attestation, Harry went to Aldershot to learn the Army way of life, for less than a month: he embarked for France aboard the S.S. “Monas Queen” at Southampton, on 7 December 1915, making Harry eligible for the 1914/15 Star, and posted to the Base Horse Transport Depot (B.H.T.D.) at Le Havre:
The horse transport was based on two main depots. The Base Depot was located at Le Havre and here all supply and horse transport reinforcements of personnel were located and the training of young soldiers was continued. The Advanced Horse Transport Depot was at Abbeville, its main duties being to provide complete ‘turn outs’, that is, man, vehicle and animals to units and teams of animals with harness, trained for special purposes.[i]
From the B.H.T.D. Harry was posted to 280 Company, A.S.C., at Rouen on 24 December 1915.
On 22 January 1916, Harry was admitted to No. 3 Stationary Hospital at Rouen with “Otitis Media”, a middle ear infection; discharged to duty on 20 February of the same year.
Harry’s Company sent a detachment to Dieppe for a period from April 1917, of which Harry was a member. While there he was brought up on charges of ‘Smoking in [the] stables’ and was awarded seven days confined to barracks as punishment. Later charged with another offence in September 1918: ‘Being in unlawful possession of Govmt [Government] rations’. Harry was awarded 28 days Field Punishment No.2. Field Punishment No.2 consisted of Harry being shackled and not fixed to an object (that was Field Punishment No.1), “or up to 2 hours in 24, and not for more than 3 days in 4, or for more than 21 days in his sentence.”[ii]
In January 1919, Harry, while detached from the detachment at Dieppe with Driver Landless Farnell (No. T.199994) on a farm at Dréville(?) under the Agricultural Officer, broke his right internal malleolus, his right ankle. Farnell had found Harry lying in a field, the two horses and a vehicle, of which Harry was in charge, having bolted throwing Harry to from the cart. Farnell caught the horses, returned to Harry and with the assistance of German PoWs lifted him into the vehicle, and drove him back to the farm.
Harry was sent to No.5 Stationary Hospital, then invalided to the United Kingdom on 7 February 1919 and admitted to 47 General Hospital, which would appear to be the Lord Derby War Hospital Warrington. He was subsequently discharged from the Army following a review by the Medical Board on 24 February and recognised as having no disability.
Harry returned to Hambledon, where on the 19 August 1920, Agnes gave birth to their youngest son Christopher Matthew Ranson, named after his youngest brother. The latter, while serving with the Canadian Expeditionary Force was killed in France in December 1915. The family at some point between Christopher’s birth in 1920 and September 1931 moved to Prime Meads Farm in Alfold. Agnes died in June 1934.
During the Second World War, Harry would assist members of the family with the provision of rabbits, shot on the land, on a semi-regular basis to help improve poor diets due to rationing.
Later in life, Harry developed Parkinson’s Disease and moved in with his sister, Julia (1878 – 1965), Patricia Netley moved in to assist him as things progressed. Harry died in January 1959 in Farncombe.
[i] Beadon, R.H., The Royal Army Service Corps, A history of Transport and Supply in the British Army Vol.II p. 93, quoted on the Great War Forum (https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/160772-t4144299-sydney-george-hobley-asc/?do=findComment&comment=1558621) [Accessed 1 July 2020]
[ii] From “Military crimes 1914-1918 British Army” on The Long, Long Trail (https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/military-crimes-1914-1918-british-army/) [Accessed 1 July 2020]
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