Chinnery H B Lt 13th Kings Royal Rifle Corps
LIEUTENANT HARRY BRODRICK CHINNERY, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, second son of the late W. M. Chinnery of Hatchford Park, Cobham, Surrey, was born in 1876 and educated at Eton.
His name was long famous in the cricketing world. He played for Eton against Harrow in 1894 and 1895, and was afterwards a regular member first of the Surrey and then of the Middlesex Eleven. He became a member of the Stock Exchange in 1898, and a partner in his late father’s firm, Chinnery Bros.
As soon as war broke out he offered his services to the War Office and was given a commission in the 13th (Service) Battalion of the 60th (King’s Royal Rifles).
He was killed in France on 28 May 1916, in circumstances that are thus described by his Company Commander: “He was in the middle of his men, encouraging them in a moment of danger. He was killed by the last shell fired at a night working party which was advancing our line nearer to the enemy. It was a trying night, and he did splendidly all the earlier part of it in keeping them at their work and keeping up their spirits.”
His Colonel wrote: “He will be greatly missed by his brother- officers and the men of his Company, while by his death the Battalion has lost a valuable officer whom it would be difficult to replace.”
Lieut. Chinnery’s popularity with his men may be judged by the following extracts from a letter written by a rifleman “on behalf of the fellows in his Platoon and myself”:
“Mr. Chinnery was loved and respected by all of us that he came in contact with. While in charge of the Machine Gun Section in England, and last Autumn out here, he was looked upon as something more than a good officer and a perfect gentleman; and although he had only been with No. 6 Platoon six weeks, yet no Officer was more respected and had their complete confidence.”
“Many are the stories told by his men of his splendid courage and coolness on Sunday night (the night of his death); always first in his area to go to a wounded man, to assist and cheer with a kindly word.”
Source : The Stock Exchange War Memorial 1914-1918