Leslie Harradine Research Paper

On 14th March 1917, the Harradine brothers enlisted in the Canadian Army at the regimental depot of Lord Strathcona’s Horse, known as, The Royal Canadians. There appears to have been a delay before Leslie Harradine’s attestation29 to serve in the CEF for the duration of the war, 6th April 1917. He named as his next of kin, his father, Charles Percy Harradine of 12 Wandle Road Wandsworth, London. On 29th April 1917, along with the Seventh Draft of the Strathcona’s Leslie Harradine left Canada aboard the SS Olympia, disembarking in England, 7th May 1917. He was stationed at the Canadian Reserve Cavalry Regiment (CRCR) at Shorncliffe near Folkestone, Kent. The town of Shorncliffe housed the Royal Military Hospital of 434 beds and its necessary complement of nurses.30.The Harradine family believes that while he was at Shorncliffe he became acquainted with Edith May Denton, a beautiful nurse aged twenty. It would appear that as soon as Edith May Denton achieved her majority, she married Harradine

Further heavy action for the regiment commenced during the first week of August at the battle of Amiens, where the concerted efforts of cavalry, when armoured tanks were effectively employed. Percy Harradine served in France with the Strathcona’s horse regiment, and as the elder sibling, he may have ‘claimed’ his younger brother to serve alongside him. Although the War Office knew brothers from the same families were dying together in action, it remained a common practice of the army for a brother to claim a younger brother, the custom was eventually terminated. Edith May Harradine sent word to Harradine that during September she had given birth to their first child, Jessie May Harradine, named for his mother. Leslie Harradine transferred to the Strathcona’s horse regiment, 24th September 1918, and recorded on the regiment’s strength on the 25th September