Paul McManus

Private Horace Hedley Portman was born on Friday 25th July 1896 in Feckenham, Worcestershire. He served in the 10th (Service) Battalion Worcestershire Regiment. The following is taken from The Worcestershire Regiment in the Great War (Vol 1 & 2) Capt H. FitzM Stacke - On the 22nd October 1916 Horace along with the battalion were ordered up over the crest of the Ancre Heights to a newly captured line. "The captured trench was situated on the exposed slope of the Ancre Heights and was heavily bombarded throughout the next day. No actual counter attack was attempted, but from shell fire alone the Battalion suffered severely." Horace was killed during the attack. He was 19 years of age. Horace's brother Reginald's daughter Jo Parker (Portman) provided the following information: Before the war Horace worked as a fishing swivel tackle maker. He worked at the local fishing swivel tackle factory at 224 Mount Pleasant, Redditch, Worcestershire. [This is confirmed in the 1911 census that states Horace was employed as a fishing swivel tackle maker.] All of Horace's older brothers had joined the Army during Lord Kitchener's first enlistment campaign. Horace followed in his older brother's footsteps in late 1915 and enlisted at the local recruiting office. Horace was the only member of the family to lose his life in the Great War. Horace's mother had been widowed when her husband George died in 1899, she was deeply affected upon receipt of the official Army form informing the family of her son's death. Reginald (Horace's brother) had been deeply scared by the war. He had been gassed and invalided out of the army on 26th August 1918. The war was too painful to recall, however he never forgot the brother he lost and spoke fondly of Horace. Reginald had breathing difficulties for the rest of his life and died at the age of 64 in 1956.