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Harry Cuthbert FLETCHER was Lance Corporal 17832 in the 19th Bn, The Kings (Liverpool Rgt). He was the son of Amos and Maria Fletcher, of Glevering Farm, Hacheston. He died of wounds at Norwich Military Hospital on the 1st May 1917, age 28. He was buried in Hacheston (All Saints) Churchyard on the 4th May 1917. His headstone is the only Commonwealth War Graves Commission pattern one in the churchyard.
The following is a link to Harry's page on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website from where you can download Harry's Commemorative Certificate.
In July 2021 we were contacted by a relative of Harry Fletcher, Mr Guy Wilson, who supplied some interesting information on Harry's family and their links with Charsfield. This is reproduced below, slightly edited, with his kind permission.
"Whilst recently carrying out research into my family history I came across Harry, of whom the family knew no details. My Mother's Grandmother was Emily Kate Fletcher, born in Charsfield in July 1887. She was one of numerous children, 16 we think (!), almost all of whom were born in Charsfield to Amos Fletcher and his wife Maria (nee Cuthbert). Harry was therefore my Great Grandmother's brother.
Further research showed that Harry's brother Ernest Fletcher was also killed during the Great War, and that he and Harry's names are on the Hacheston War Memorial inside the church.
Having found that Harry had a Commonwealth War Grave in your churchyard, we came on holiday to see the area and pay our respects at his grave. Sadly Hacheston church was closed but we found the grave, and left flowers together with a note of remembrance. It was extremely moving to find him, especially as my own Father served for 32 years in the Royal Navy and my Mother in the WRNS.
We also visited Easton to see where Harry's Parents lived and worked. His father was an estate bricklayer for the Easton Estate and later for the Glevering estate. The village of Charsfield features heavily in my family with several generations of the Fletcher family being born and living there. Indeed we found the grave of my gggg grandfather Richard Fletcher and his wife Hannah Sadd in the churchyard of St Peters, Charsfield as well as his brother Amos Fletcher and his wife Amy Ann Sadd. Amos was the grandfather of Harry Fletcher. It appears the two Fletcher brothers married two Sadd sisters! I have been able to trace my Fletcher family back to 1779 in Dallinghoo."
Mr Wilson also sent a photo of his mother standing by Harry's grave which we also include by kind permission. The church was sadly closed on the day of her visit because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
David Clough and Richard Ginn
August 2021