2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
31/05/1894
Died:
22/03/1918 (Died of Wounds)
Age:
23
Summary
John Harte was the son of John and Elizabeth Harte. He was born on 31st May 1894 in Desertmartin. Jack, as he was known locally, lived with the family in Castledawson. His father was an Engine Man. Jack was a linen lapper. Jack was one of 10 children. Private John Jack Harte was awarded the Military Medal (M.M.). Private John Jack Harte M.M. was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he died of wounds on 22nd March 1918.
Further Information
John Harte was the son of John and Elizabeth Harte. John Harte married Eliza Rocks on 4th September 1885 in the Magherafelt district.
John Harte was born on 31st May 1894 in Desertmartin.
The 1901 census lists John as age 7 living with the family at house 37 in Castledawson, County Londonderry. His father was a linen beetler.
The 1911 census lists Jack, as he was now known, as age 17 living with the family at house 11 in Castledawson Town, County Londonderry. His father was an Engine Man. Jack was a linen lapper. Jack was one of 10 children.
Family: John Harte, Lizzie Harte, James Harte (born 5th April 1886, died 27th August 1898 aged 12), Edward Harte (born 30th December 1887), Maggie Harte (born 2nd January 1890), Mary Minnie Harte (born 13th May 1892), John Jack Harte (born 31st May 1894), Christina Teanie Harte (born 20th June 1896), Andrew Harte (born 11th May 1898), Thomas Harte (born 6th April 1900), William J Harte (born 27th November 1902), Kathleen Cassie Harte (born 9th June 1905).
Jack Harte was a member of Castledawson U.V.F.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 3rd October 1914:
Mr John Fulton, the new commander of the Castledawson U.V.F., presented Mr George Weir, who now commands the twenty-five who have gone, with a dressing case, on behalf of the section commanders of the company. Commander Weir replied on behalf of himself and the men for all the gifts, and he and his fellow Volunteers would have an opportunity of seeing Berlin before they again saw Castledawson. The remainder of the evening was spent in dancing. Enthusiastic scenes were witnessed on Tuesday morning, when Commander Weir and his companions departed for Finner Camp by the first morning train. Everyone in the village was astir at an early hour, and crowds had assembled at the volunteer headquarters, when Commander Weir paraded his men. Castledawson First Company Boys Brigade, under Lieutenants Hueston and Evans, headed the procession to the railway station and Castledawson and Tullinkesey Companies U.V.F. brought up the rear. The men, who departed in high spirits amid the cheers of hundreds, were – Commander George Weir, Signaller Hiram Kerr, and Privates Bob Loughrey, Henry Loughrey, William Bradley, George Sampson, Robert Woods, George Garvin, Jim Milligan, Hugh Leslie, David Fulton, Bob Speer, Jack Harte, Tom Trainor, Sam Campbell, Frank Hueston, George McNeill, Henry Brown, Eddie Mawhinney, Tom Pickering, John Evans, Samuel White, James McFadden, George Garvin and John Overend.
Jack Harte enlisted at Finner Camp, County Donegal.
Private Harte’s brother, Edward Harte, also served in the war,
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 6th February 1915: Edward Harte (brother of Jack Harte)
Signaller Edward Harte and Privates Robert Irwin and Matthew J McAnary, all natives of Castledawson and members of the 1st Battalion Inniskilling Fusiliers, which has recently returned from India for service in France, were given a few days leave last week and visited their homes in the village. When the three joined the colours eight years ago the first battalion was on the point of leaving for foreign service, so they have been absent from their home for that time, and have been stationed in Malta, Crete, China and India. Signaller Harte has gained a number of proficiency certificates in his special branch, and all three look fit, and are looking forward with the professional soldier’s eagerness to active service.
Private John Jack Harte was awarded the Military Medal (M.M.).
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 12th January 1918:
Lance Corporal William Shanks and Private Jack Harte, of Castledawson, have been awarded the Military Medal. They belong to the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 2nd March 1918: Castledawson
The following soldiers have been enjoying home leave:- Lance Corporal William Shanks, M.M.; Lance Corporal Bob Woods; Private Jack Harte, M.M.; Dan McCormack, Francis Hueston, John Anderson, Australians; George McCracken and James McKnight.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 2nd March 1918: South Derry Heroes – How They Won Military Crosses
Here is the story of how four South Derry soldiers won the Military Medal during the Cambrai push in November last. The facts were related by Lance Corporal William Shanks and Lewis Gunner Jack Harte, two of the heroic four, and both natives of Castledawson. Their companions in the gallant exploit were Private Malcolm Magill (Magherafelt) and Lewis Gunner T McIlroy (Upperlands). On the day following the Cambrai battle these for formed part of a fighting patrol of fifteen, which included an officer. Their duty was to explore a large triangular area uncrossed by the British in the advance, and lying along the hollow of the Du Nord Canal.
We were quietly jogging along, says Lance corporal Shanks, with our rifles slung over our shoulders, and though we could hear the tick-tock of a German machine gun, it sounded so far away to our right we imagined the enemy were at least a mile away. Jack Harte was just in front of me, and he and I were laughing over something, when suddenly the officer jumped back from a corner in a trench we had reached, exclaiming as he ripped out his revolver:- ‘Look out boys! There’s a machine gun in action just around the corner.’
At this point there was a lock on the canal; surmounted by a ruined lock house and the canal, now a dry bed, had two branches separated by a high embankment. Jack and I jumped up on the embankment to peep over, and instantly a beetle bomb was thrown at us, but fortunately it buried itself in the bank. Connecting the main course of the canal with one of its branches was a deep gully and on looking up this, the officer perceived that it was full of Germans with a machine gun. Our officer, and the rest of our comrades, now rushed off to bring up reinforcements from the 14th Battalion (Y.C.V.’s) on our left, and as he said nothing to us four, we decided to stop where we were.
Going back into the bed of the canal, where we could command a view of the mouth of the gully, we built up a barricade of stones and put McIlroy behind it with the Lewis gun, and Magill beside him to fill magazines. Harte and I went forward, one on each side, to a depression in the embankment. To get at us in this position, the Germans had to expose themselves at the mouth of the gully, and when they did so we opened up and drove them back, each time with some casualties. You would scarcely believe it, but we never laughed so much in our lives.
Imagine four of us dodging around that old canal bottom, chucking rifle grenades, rapid fire and Lewis gun fire at a force of the enemy who, if they had not thought us at least a hundred strong from the row we were keeping up, must have come out and eaten us up. We would dodge up to the mouth of the gully and rip up a few volleys and then back to our places, from where we slung over the grenades.
Private Grumbley, from Coleraine, who had lost his company, blundered along our way at a quiet moment, and we could not convince him that he was sitting at one of the early doors for the Kingdom Come, until the Germans made another rush down the gully and appeared almost at his side. The look of surprised incredulity on his face as he involuntarily brought up his rifle and banged into them, with a ‘Good ___ Billy’, was so ludicrous that I rolled over laughing, and for fully two minutes was unable to put a bullet in a rifle. He got wounded on the throat with a ricocheting bullet.
Then along came another doubting Thomas in the shape of a young lieutenant, who persisted in walking backwards and forwards across the mouth of the gully to show us what he thought of our ‘yarn’. When the Germans did again show themselves he was so flabbergasted that he should stood and pointed his cane at them and then dropped, shot through the chest, dying later.
There was yet no sign of our reinforcements, and we knew from the sounds in the gully that the Germans had been reinforced. Jack rushed the Lewis gun to the mouth and let her rip just as they came out with an officer at their head. Back they went helter skelter and back came Jack out of direct range. Our ammunition was now almost exhausted, and we got off our packs preparatory to making a scoot for it when our last round had been fired.
Just them McIlroy and Magill drew our attention to what was happening overhead. Talk about laughing! It just reminded us of sodding someone at home and dodging around a corner. There were the Germans bayonet charging the old lock house, ten yards above us to the right, thinking it held the main garrison.
From half past two until nearly five, the four of us held them up without receiving a scratch, and when the reinforcements came up later, from the Young Citizens, they had seven killed and a number wounded. They held the position for some time, but ultimately were driven out. We had only half a magazine left when we were relieved.’
Private Harte distinguished himself on the previous day also, when the battalion was held up by an enemy machine gun, by rushing forward his Lewis gun and wiping out the death dealing obstruction. Lance Corporal Shanks is the same ‘Wee Billy’ who carried the message through the shell inferno of Thiepval Wood in March 1916, which probably saved the lives of hundreds, and which was ‘the talk of the whole Ulster Division at the time’, according to comrades who were there.
Private John Jack Harte M.M. was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he died of wounds after being gassed on 22nd March 1918.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 6th April 1918:
HARTE – In loving memory of our dear son, Private Jack Harte, royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who died of wounds on 22nd March 1918.
‘In health and strength he left his home,
Not thinking death was near,
It pleased the Lord to bid him come,
In his presence to appear.
Some day we hope to meet him,
Someday, we know not when,
To clasp his hand in a better land,
Never to part again.'
Deeply regretted by his sorrowing father, mother, sisters and brothers, Boyne Row, Castledawson.
'His loving face and kindly smile
The fond true heart is still,
And the lips that spoke so kind to me,
Are closed in death’s cold chill.
We little thought when you went away,
That you would never return
With a true brave heart you did your part,
And the victor’s crown have won.'
Ever remembered by his sorrowing sister, Teanie.
Private John Harte M.M. is buried in St. Pierre Cemetery. The cemetery is situated on the north-eastern outskirts of Amiens, France. The 41st Stationary Hospital was based in Amiens in March 1918. He was 23 years old.
Private Harte’s brother, Edward Harte, survived the war.
The CWGC record Private John Harte M.M. as the son of John and Elizabeth Harte, of Castledawson, County Derry.
