Have You a Tiger In Your Family?

Rank : Private

Army Number : 203533

Unit : 1st Bn

Biography :

Enlisted at Leicester. . He was killed on his daughters 18th birthday and also his son George Henry was killed on 13th April 1918.
Harry Dutfield was born to George and Ann Dutfield (nee Thompson) and registered in the Aston district of Birmingham Warwickshire in last quarter of 1879. [George Alfred and Ann married in Leeds on 25 September 1865 at St Peter’s.]
The 1881 Census of England show the family living at; (the) “Back of 95”, 1, Icknield Square, Birmingham, Warwickshire. George is noted as a leather dresser (a currier) and was born in Battersea in 1846. Ann, his wife, was born in Leeds Yorkshire in 1844. Their five children were; Ernest (b.1870), Ada (b.1872), Kate (b.1874), Clara (b.1876) and Harry (b.1880).
Harry Dutfield followed his father into the leather trade and became a leather dresser. One of several newspaper records, for example in the Croydon Advertiser and East Surrey Reporter of 29 April 1899, show a “Dutfield” appearing at full-back for Beddington Corner FC in a local Surrey junior league, known as the Herald League.
The next record available is the marriage of Harry Dutfield to Louisa Clara Brown. This was registered in the first quarter 1899 at Epsom Surrey.
The 1901 Census has Harry, now 22, as a leather dresser and Louisa, 23 (b. Carshalton Surrey), living at London Road, Wallington, Croydon, Surrey. They have two children; George Dutfield (b.1899 Beddington Corner, Surrey) and Gladys Dutfield (b.1901 Beddington Corner, Surrey).
From 1900 to 1902, H. Dutfield is noted as a footballer for Beddington Corner FC. For example, in the West Surrey Times dated 30 March 1901, H. Dutfield played for “The Corner” against Farncombe FC.
In the Uxbridge & West Drayton Gazette, dated 19 July 1902, Brentford Football Club announced several new signings for the coming season, 1902/1903. One signing was “Duffield” (sic) a full-back from Croydon. The research mentioned above notes that Dutfield is the man Brentford signed and that he played in the Croydon area for Beddington Corner FC.
Harry Dutfield played for the Brentford First XI just once in the Southern League (versus Reading in a three nil defeat) and once in the London League (versus Woolwich Arsenal in another three nil defeat). His main contribution to the Bees was for the Reserve XI who played in the South-Eastern League and the reserve division of the London League, Division 2.
At seasons end, 1902/1903, there isn’t another mention of Dutfield playing for Brentford. Nor is there mention of Harry Dutfield moving to another Club to continue his football career, even at junior level back in the Surrey leagues.
The 1911 Census of England and Wales is where we next see the family. The Dutfield family had moved to Leicestershire. Harry and Louisa were living at 91 Repton Street, Leicester Leicestershire.
Now 32 years of age, Harry was still a leather dresser and Louisa, 33, was now a mother to six children; George (b.1899 Surrey), Gladys (b.1901 Surrey), Alice (b.1903 Surrey), William (b.1904 Surrey), Percy (b.1906 Surrey) and Grace Ellen (1911 Leicestershire).
Records aren’t readily available to follow what happened after 1911 except the births of more children! Frank Dutfield (b.1913 Leicester), Bertie Dutfield, (b.1915 Leicester [Bertie, however, died soon after birth in early 1915]), Florence Dutfield, (b.1916 Leicester) and Leonard Thomas Dutfield (b.1918 Leicester).
Harry Dutfield answered the call for men to join the Colours between 7/10 of May 1917. He joined the 4th (Reserve) Battalion Leicestershire Regiment as Private H. Dutfield 203533.
He was posted to the 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, in October 1917, before his posting and embarkation to France. He was then transferred to the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment sometime later, likely to be around 24 October 1917. The surviving War Diary (WD) of the 1st Leicestershire’s allow us to follow Harry’s progress from October 1917 to June 1918. The most poignant piece is from June 1918……The Battalion, on 6 June 1918, were in the front Line, to the left of the Chateau Segard sector.
The WD notes on the 6 June 1918; “Intermittent shelling by both sides, throughout the day, which otherwise passed uneventfully. 16th King’s Royal Rifle Corps relieved the Battalion at night. Relief somewhat hampered by hostile gas shelling on our front line and hostile activity on back areas. Relief eventually complete at 12.00 midnight.” The WD kept detailed notes, which is unusual for many regimental diaries, of a running casualty list for each month. For June 1918 it notes; “Casualties; other ranks, ‘C’ Company; 1 killed, 6 wounded.”
The one man killed we know to be;
Private Harry Dutfield 203533, of C Company 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment.
His body is laid to rest in the CWGC Nine Elms British Cemetery, Poperinge, Arrondissement Ieper, West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen), Belgium.
Sadly, before his own death, Harry would have had to suffer the sad news that his and Louisa’s eldest son, George Henry Dutfield #40869 of the 8th Bn. King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), was killed in action on 13 April 1918, aged just 18.
.Louisa Clara Dutfield never re-married and is noted in the Register of 1939 as still living in Leicester along with their youngest son Leonard Dutfield. Louisa later passed away in 1949.

Some information from a private source.

CWGC:

DUTFIELD, HARRY
Rank: Private
Service No: 203533
Date of Death: 06/06/1918
Regiment/Service: Leicestershire Regiment 1st Bn.
Grave Reference: XI. E. 5.
Cemetery: NINE ELMS BRITISH CEMETERY
Additional Information:

Husband of Louisa Clara Dutfield, of 91, Repton Street, Leicester.

Date of Birth : 1879

Place of Birth : & Birmingham & Warwickshire

Date of Death : 6.6.1918

Place of Death : & & Belgium

Period of Service : 1910s

Conflicts : WW1

Places Served : & & Belgium