大象传媒

Introduction

This article has been submitted to the 大象传媒 鈥樷�楶eople鈥檚 War鈥欌�� website on behalf of Mr Jim Renney from Dearham, Maryport Cumbria. It has been written by Joseph Ritson a volunteer story-gatherer for the Radio Cumbria CSV Action Desk volunteers. The terms of the 鈥淧eople鈥檚 War鈥� website have been read and understood.

This article concentrates on Jim鈥檚 paternal grandfather Harry Renney, originally from the village of Great Broughton, near Cockermouth, Cumberland (now Cumbria). Harry served with the Border Regiment in both World Wars, and also in the Territorial Army during the inter-war period. It has been written based on some photographs, memories passed down to family members and newspaper cuttings.

Harry鈥檚 life before World War Two

Harry was originally a coalminer at Alice Pit near his home in Broughton, starting underground at the age of 15. Harry, like many other West Cumbrian miners, answered his country鈥檚 call during the Great War. He joined the Border Regiment, which was the county regiment for the twin counties of Cumberland and Westmorland.

Harry鈥檚 grandson Jim has a photograph of Harry dressed in his military uniform during the Great War. Very little has been passed on about Harry鈥檚 wartime service in the Great War. However, the family do know that Harry was wounded towards the end of the First World War while serving with the Border Regiment in Salonika, Greece. Consequently, Harry spent some time after the Great War in a military hospital at Anfield Plain, County Durham.

After demobilisation, Harry went back to work as a coalminer, moving round to wherever the work was available. In fact, Harry worked in the County Durham mines for a time before moving back to West Cumberland. In May 1922 Harry married Nora Graham at Anfield Plain Primitive Methodist Chapel. Harry and Nora had five sons: Leslie, Wilfred, Harry, Jim and Jack, and three daughters: June, Florence and Elsie.

Second World War TA Service

When Harry had returned to West Cumberland he joined the Territorial Army. For West Cumbrians, the local TA was the 5th Battalion The Border Regiment, Harry鈥檚 previous regiment. Jim Renney has a photograph of his Granddad Harry taken about the time of the outbreak of the Second World War, although the exact date is unknown.

When Britain declared war in September 1939, as a T.A. soldier, Harry was mobilised with the Borderers. By this time Harry would have been among the oldest in the unit. Having seen action in the Great War, Harry would also have been one of those with the most experience.

A written record of Harry鈥檚 Second World War service was not available at the time of writing this article (November 2005). However, the Renney family understand Harry served with his T.A. unit for about a year during World War Two, and then probably some time back at the Depot at Carlisle before demobilisation for the second time. Further information about Harry鈥檚 service record would be available from both the Border Regiment Archives and the Ministry of Defence Records.

Conclusion

This has only been a very brief sketch about the wartime service of Harry Renney. Harry was one of those who served in the Armed Forces during both World War One and World War Two. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this article (November 2005), the family do not have many specific details about Harry鈥檚 wartime service.

There is obviously much more that could be written if more details were available. Nevertheless, Harry鈥檚 family are rightly proud that he answered his country鈥檚 call to serve in both World Wars. Harry and Nora enjoyed more than 50 years of happy married life and are both fondly remembered by their family.

A previous article has been written about the World War Two Service of one of Harry and Nora鈥檚 sons, Leslie Renney, who was in the REME and saw action in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. In Leslie鈥檚 case, the Renney family still have his original Service Book and a large number of photographs, making it comparatively easy to work out some of Leslie鈥檚 wartime experiences. This article has also been submitted to the 大象传媒 鈥淧eople鈥檚 War鈥� website on behalf of Leslie鈥榮 son Jim Renney (A3685584). If anyone has any memories about Harry or Leslie Renney during the war it would be interesting to hear from them.

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