| Birth: | Oct. 20, 1863 | | Death: | Oct. 18, 1918 | 
World War I Victoria Cross Recipient, one of three chaplains to be awarded the V.C. during the war and the most decorated non-combatant. A native of Southernhay, Exeter, Devon, Hardy was a teacher who had been ordained as a deacon in 1898, but his health was never robust and in 1913 he took a position as vicar of Hutton Roof in Cumbria, hoping the Lake Country air would be beneficial. When the war broke out he volunteered for the Chaplains’ Department, but was initially turned down for reasons of health and age. Hardy persisted, took a first aid course so he could qualify as a stretcher bearer, and continued to badger the authorities into letting him serve. He was finally given a position at the base at Etaples, a large training camp and hospital center in France, but far from the front. He continued to pester his superiors for an active post, and in 1917 he was assigned to the 8th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment. Hardy was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in September 1917 during the Battle of Passchendaele (Third Ypres) for bringing in wounded and ministering to a wounded man who had been inextricably trapped in mud until the man died. He was awarded the Military Cross in October 1917 for further service as a stretcher bearer. He was awarded the V.C. for three separate actions in April of 1918 near Bucquoy, France. On the first occasion, on April 5, he followed a patrol some 400 yards into No-Man’s Land and discovered an officer with the patrol had been badly wounded. Hardy stayed with the man until he was able to get help bringing him in, despite heavy fire from nearby German troops. In the second incident, on April 25, he rescued a man who had been buried in the rubble of a command post and tried, but failed, to rescue a second, all the time being under heavy enemy fire. And the third, on April 27, came after a British attack had advanced, initially taken the objective in a wooded area, but had been forced back to the jump-off point. Hardy was the last man to leave the woods, and on reaching British lines he convinced a sergeant to return with him to rescue a seriously wounded man –- again, despite being under heavy fire the whole time, and despite the wounded man’s being within ten yards of an enemy pillbox. From his citation: "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on many occasions. Although over 50 years of age, he has, by his fearlessness, devotion to men of his battalion, and quiet unobtrusive manner, won the respect and admiration of the whole division. His marvellous energy and endurance would be remarkable even in a very much younger man.” Hardy was wounded by machine gun fire during an action near the River Selle on October 10, 1918. At first it was thought the wounds were not serious, but the Rev. Hardy died in hospital at Rouen eight days later. His medals are on display at the Museum of Army Chaplaincy, Amport, near Andover, Hampshire. (bio by: Paul F. Wilson)
Search Amazon for Theodore Hardy | | | Burial:
Saint Sever Cemetery Extension
Rouen
Haute-Normandie Region, France
Plot: S.V.J.1. |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Nov 30, 2004
Find A Grave Memorial# 10007486 |
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