Category: Military
Rank: Corporal
Regiment or Ship: Royal Field Artillery
Occupation: Cab Driver
Date of Birth: 04.04.1890
Place of Birth: Hailsham, Sussex
Date of Death: 1969
Place of Death: Battle registration district.
Address: 43 Windsor Road, Bexhill
Photos and newspaper articles
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Family Information
Parents: Frederick Harmer, b. 1862 in Hailsham, Sussex, d. 1932 in Hailsham, and Charlotte Annie Harmer (nee Spray), b. 1865 in Hawkhurst, Kent. Frederick and Charlotte married in 1886.
Siblings:
Frederick George Harmer, b. 1888 in Hailsham. W0248 HARMER Frederick George
Ethel Rose Harmer, b. 1892 in Bexhill.
Percy Thomas Harmer, b. 1895 in Bexhill. W0247 HARMER Percy Thomas
Lester James Harmer, b. 1897 in Bexhill. W0246 HARMER Lester James
Annie May Harmer, b. 1899 in Bexhill, d. 1902.
Frank Henry Harmer, b. 1901 in Bexhill, d. 1901.
Elsie Alexandra Harmer, b. 1903 in Bexhill.
Albert Edward Harmer, b. 1903 in Bexhill.
Cecil Amays Harmer, b. 1909 in Bexhill.
Sometime before 1891 the Harmer family moved from “Mangle House”, Alexandra Terrace, Hailsham, to Windsor Terrace, then 69 Windsor Road (in 1901) and then to 43 Windsor Road by 1911. Frederick went from being an employed fly driver to a self-employed bathchairman.
Frederick Sen.’s parents were Thomas Harmer (1830-1920) and Louisa Harmer – nee Harris – (1833-1898).
Hubert married Esther (Peggy) A. Collins in 1912 and they had a child, Edna May Harmer (1916-1999).
First World War Experience
We cannot be absolutely certain of Hubert’s war service – apart from the following letter which appeared in the Bexhill Observer dated 7th December 1918.
“Mr. and Mrs. Harmer of 43, Windsor-road, are in the happy position of having four sons home on leave at the same time. They are: Private F. G. Harmer, A.S.C., from Aldershot; Corporal H. H. Harmer, R.A.F. * Yorkshire; Private P. T. Harmer, The Buffs, home from France, where he had trench fever and underwent an operation; and Private L. J. Harmer, M. G. C. home from France where he was badly wounded and subsequently gassed. They are all well now.”
* Extensive research suggests that R.A.F. was a miss-print and should have been R.F.A. (Royal Field Artillery).
It would seem that he enlisted around 12th September 1914 and is variously described as a Corporal, Bombardier, and Gunner. No definite medal rolls can be attributed to Hubert with certainty as the records are rather vague.