Elias William Hartle (Will) (1889–1971)

Lieutenant

Military Mounted Police
P1362

Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) 185277 8th Battalion; 139th Brigade; 46th Division

Photos courtesy Rosemary Hall

Photo of Elias Hartle
Photo of Elias Hartle

Biography
Elias, known as Bill or Will, was born in 4th March 1889 at Crich. He emigrated to Canada in 1910 where he was a farmer. On returning to the UK he joined the police force and was a constable in the West Riding at the time of his enlistment in June 1915. He served with the Military Mounted Police as a Lance Corporal then a Corporal. Will entered France in June 1916 returning in January before joining No. 7 Officer Cadet Battalion. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant and joined the Sherwood Foresters. Re-entering France on 21st March 1918 he was almost immediately wounded in the left leg by gun shot and then repatriated back to England on 24 March 1918.
He was ordered to report to his Regiment on 29th April 1918 but had a few problems finding his kit. He wrote explaining his difficulty.

Sir
My leave expires on the 29th April 1918 when I have to report to the O.C. 7th Res, Bn. Sherwoods at Louth, Lincs. I am however, still awaiting the arrival of my kit from France. Could you possibly grant me an extension please for a few days as I am practically without kit?
I was advised from France that it had been sent on.
I have the honour to be Sir, Your obedient servant
E.W. Hartle 2/Lieut
1/8 Battn Sherwood Foresters

He married in January 1918 and in May 1919 he sailed to Canada aboard SS Olympic and he relinquished his commission having the rank of Lieutenant. He returned to Abernethy, Saskatchewan where, as a farmer, he joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

From "Joffrey’s War a Sherwood Forester in the Great War" by Geoffrey Husbands et al (2011)

Hartle, Second Lieutenant EW
2nd Lieutenant (later Lieutenant) Elias William Hartle, born 4 March 1899; a farmer in Saskatchewan in civil life; served in the ranks of the Military Mounted Police from 1 June 1915 to 26 June 1917, before being commissioned in the Sherwood Foresters on 27 June 1917; “A” Company, 1/8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters; wounded on 24th of March 1918 with a gunshot wound to the leg and invalided to England. Geoffrey Husbands described him as “one of the good type of commissioned ranker; not hail-fellow-well-met or unduly familiar with his men definitely human and friendly to them, so the platoon held him in good esteem”. He was released from military service on 27th of February 1919 and returned to Canada.
[Note: Will was born in 1889 not 1899 as recorded here]

Photos courtesy Rosemary Hall

Elias Hartle and his sisters

Elias Hartle and his sisters Elsie, Elias, Rebecca, Mary Elizabeth (Polly)

Elias Hartle with fellow officers

Elias Hartle sitting extreme left with fellow officers

There was a player called EW Hartle on a photograph of Crich Brigade Football Club dated1904–1905.

Photo courtesy Les Barber

Crich Brigade Football Club 1905

H. Barber; A. Leafe; L.Coleman
A.Sulley; D.P.Hawkes(Capt); H.Stocks
S.Berrisford; E.Mason; J.Leafe; G.Parnham; E.W.Hartle

St Mary's Marriage Register
19 January 1918, Elias William Hartle 28, farmer serving in HM Forces (son of Elias William Hartle mason) married Jane Audrey Dawes 21 (daughter of John William Dawes, wood machinist).

Walter Hallam's diary:
He was often mentioned in Walter Hallam's 1914 diaries as Will Hartle.
31 Dec 1914 walk with Will Hartle.

Newspaper reports

Derbyshire Courier 5 December 1914
Mr Fred STREET, formerly of Crich, who has been in the Argentine for over four years, arrived home unexpectedly on Monday coming from Liverpool, where he had disembarked earlier in the day from ss “Amazon”. This vessel has brought a company of about 200 men from the Argentine district, most of whom have been employed in various sections of railway work. It is the intention of them, Mr STREET included, to enlist in His Majesty’s forces, they having obtained permission from the Argentine Government to come over expressly for this purpose. Since his emigration to the South American country, Mr STREET has made headway as an engine driver on the Argentine State Railways and he hopes, when the war is over, to return. Another Crich emigrant to return on Monday was Mr William E. HARTLE, who has been engaged in agricultural pursuits in Saskatchewan, Canada. Mr HARTLE coming in by the C.P.R. boat “ Missanerbie”, which usually enough, was alongside the landing stage at the same time as the “Amazon”. Mr HARTLE states that the outlook in the near future is known to write for the Canadian Colony, owing to the withdrawal best of his manhood of British birth or descent, who have come over fight for the Mother Country, this leaving the Colony largely in the hands of emigrants from foreign countries.

Derbyshire Courier, 10 May 1919
Mr and Mrs William E. Hartle, of Crich, expect to embark by the Olympic on Saturday for Canada. Mr Hartle, who has recently been demobilised, came over from the Dominions during the early stages of the war and joined the forces. After serving in France for a period he gained commissioned rank and was a lieutenant in the Sherwoods. When in Canada he was farming in Abernethy, Saskatchewan, to which place he, along with Mrs Hartle expect to return.

Medal Roll Index
Elias was awarded the British War, Victory and 15-Star Medals.
He was a L.Cprl then Cprl with the Military Mounted Police (P1362).
Transferred to 8th Notts & Derby Regt as 2nd Lieut then promoted to Lieut. (185277)
Into France 19/6/15. Retired 31/07/22
Address at retirement: Box 113 Abernethy, Sask. Canada

Service Record
Elias was born 4 March 1889 at Crich and educated at Crich British School. On his enlistment 1 June 1915 he was serving as a police constable in the West Riding Constabulary aged 26 years 3 months. The next of kin was his father Elias William Hartle Snr. (father).

01/06/15 to 26/06/17 In the Military Mounted Police as Lance Corporal
19/06/15 to 24/01/17 BEF
25/01/17 To England
16/03/17 To No 7 Officer Cadet Battalion
27/06/17 Temporary 2nd Lieut Sherwood Foresters
27/02/19 Released
21/03/18 Embarked for France
24/03/18 Embarked Calais for England with gun shot wound in the left leg
09/04/18 to 30/04/18 Granted leave
27/12/18 Promoted to temporary Lieut
10/05/19 Sailed to Canada aboard SS Olympic
24/05/19 Relinquished his commission with rank of Lieutenant

Elias Hartle's brothers Thomas Hartle and Charles Hartle are also on the Roll of Honour.

CENSUS INFORMATION

1891: Hayes Lane, Crich

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Elias W Hartle Head 34 General Labourer Crich
Lavinia Hartle wife 36   Bonsal
Thomas Hartle son 11 Scholar Crich
Charles Hartle son 9   Crich
Mary E Hartle daughter 5   Crich
Elias W Hartle son 2   Crich

RG12 piece 2747 folio 8 page 10

1901: Bennett's Lane, Crich

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Elias Hartle Head 44 Stonemason Crich
Lavinia Hartle wife 46   Bonsall
Polly Hartle daughter 15 Machine minder hosiery mill Crich
Elias W Hartle son 12   Crich
Elsie M Hartle daughter 9   Crich

RG13 piece 3231 folio 64 page 13

1911: Crich

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Elias William Hartle Head 54 General labourer, railway Crich
Livinia Hartle wife 56   Bonsall
Mary Elizabeth Hartle daughter 25 Machinist Crich
Elsie May Hartle daughter 19 Hand sewer Crich

RG14PN20984 RG78PN1251 RD436 SD4 ED13 SN96

1918 Crich voters
Elias William Hartle, Church; absent on military service