Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

His mother Sibylla Louisa was the daughter of Richard and Mary Hutchings who had run the tailor’s shop in Market Place, Wincanton. Sibylla married Edward Coombe, a general merchant living in London, Edward was 25 years older than his wife and they settled in Greenhithe. The couple had four sons and two daughters - Reginald, Harry, Albert, Gerald, Frances and Kathleen. Harry was the second son after Reginald. When Harry was 16 years old he joined the training ship Warspite which was moored at Greenhithe on the River Thames, and once trained joined the Merchant Navy. On one of his journeys when he was about 25 years old he travelled to Australia; he liked what he saw and stayed there becoming a general labourer in and around Brisbane.

His parents later lived at Coylton Terrace, Wincanton, Somerset, England, and he is therefore commemorated on the Wincanton Ss Peter and Paul War Memorial.

The memorial is located in the church of St Peter and St Paul, Church Street, Wincanton, South Somerset. It takes the form of a stained glass window with 35 names listed. The text reads:

I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE
THIS WINDOW COMMEMORATES THE MEN OF WINCANTON WHO WERE NUMBERED AMONG THOSE WHO AT THE CALL OF KING AND COUNTRY LEFT ALL THAT WAS DEAR TO THEM ENDURED
HARDNESS FACED DANGER AND FINALLY PASSED OUT OF THE SIGHT OF MEN BY THE PATH OF DUTY AND SELF SACRIFICE GIVING UP THEIR OWN LIVES THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE IN FREEDOM

On 5th July 1915 he volunteered for the Australian Imperial Force joining the 9th Battalion, (12th Reinforcement) in Brisbane. After training in Queensland the unit embarked on the S.S. Ionus on 30th December 1915 bound for Egypt. In Egypt Harry was transferred on 27th February 1916 to the re-formed 49th Battalion AIF which suffered heavily at Gallipoli and in March 1916 the Battalion sailed for France. Once in France the Australians were moved into the line in the Somme region in time for the major offensive during the middle stages of the Battle of the Somme. Harry saw his first major action at Pozieres, a name that is synonymous with Australian bravery and fortitude. His battalion succeeded in taking the village and suffered many casualties and Harry was present in the heavy fighting and in the taking of the famous Mouquet Farm – known to the Australians as “Moo Cow Farm”. Harry was wounded in action but recovered and re-joined his regiment in Flanders in early 1917. On 7th June the Battle of Messines took place and Harry was in the thick of it. Harry would have witnessed an amazing sight when 19 massive mines were exploded, a tactic which disrupted German defences and allowed the advancing troops to secure their objectives in rapid fashion. The preliminary bombardment actually ceased at 2.50 am on 7th June. At this time, many German defenders left their bunkers and returned to their defensive positions, expecting an immediate assault. At 3.10 am, the mines were detonated, killing approximately 10,000 German soldiers and destroying much of the fortifications on the ridge, as well as the town of Messines itself. Reports were made that the explosion was heard as far away as London and Dublin, and it was also possibly the loudest man-made noise made up to that date. 

 
To make matters worse for the Germans, the explosions occurred while the front line troops were being relieved, meaning both groups (relieving and relieved) were caught in the blasts. The attack was also a prelude to the much larger Third Battle of Ypres, known as Passchendaele, which began on 31st July 1917 at which Harry was also present and his unit took a prime part. Fighting continued throughout August around the Ypres Salient. At 5.50 am on the morning of 26th September a new and effective tactic was used by British and Empire forces, and what was to be known as the creeping barrage – artillery fire moving forward of the troops. Another tactic known as bite and hold was used to great effect by the Australians when they engaged in short sharp fire fights using machine guns and grenades to outflank the enemy by attacking them from the rear. Furious fighting took place over what once were the “Butts” an earlier firing range and also in “Polygon Wood” which by that time was no longer a wood. That day has gone into history as the Battle of Polygon Wood and an outstanding British and Australian success. During bloody fighting that day (26th September 1917) Harry Coombe was wounded in the shoulder. He was seen by his comrades walking back to the Dressing Station under heavy artillery fire. He did not make it and it is assumed he was hit again by a shell and killed. His body was never found, he was then 37 years of age. His mother Sibylla desperately tried to find information on him but his body was never located.