Harold Vincent Tiffen

Key Information

Name: Harold Vincent Tiffen

DoB:  November 10 1894

Regt: Lancashire Fusiliers
DoD: Missing in Action November  20 1917
Academic Career: CGS 1905-10
Other: son of James Tiffen, 300 Warwick Road
Biographical Information

• Family Background:

  Harold was the elder son of James and Catherine née Findley. He had a younger brother and sister. On his mother’s side the family came from Scotland and after the death of his maternal grandfather his grandmother had carried on running the family coach business. The Tiffen side were Cumbrian for generations, his paternal grandfather had run a boot and clog business in the middle of Carlisle for many years and after his death his widow too, carried on the business, employing five men. His father James was a draper on Scotch Street and Warwick Road.

• Academic Record:

  After CGS he attended  Grosvenor College, Carlisle. And was a dental student for 1 year with John Keswick Esq.

• War Service:

  He enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps as a private. He went to France on November 18 1915. He was promoted to 2nd lieutenant  on September 7 1917 and he joined the Lancashire Fusiliers, he went  to the front in early October and was missing in action two months later on  November 20 1917. He was last seen entering a German trench with his men.

  In his obituary in the Cumberland News a letter written to his father by the Major commanding the Lancahire Fusiliers is quoted

  “In the attack your son led his men gallantly and his bravery was an example to us all. He proved himself a fine and fearless soldier and a splendid leader. During the short time your son was with this battalion he made many friends, and we that are left cherish a memory of one we are proud of. Please accept our deepest sympathy in your great anxiety and trouble” another letter is also quoted where the Captain who wrote it said

  “He was a brave boy and had the makings of a really good officer”

  He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

• Battalion:

  5^th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers

• Other:

  His brother James also attended CGS and went on to Durham University. James served for New Zealand in WW2, he was a P.O.W. for three and a half years and sadly died in a military hospital in July 1948. (See his page in the WW2 section).

  Harold left £133 1s 2d

• Sources:

  www.Ancestry.co.uk Probate Register

  Census:

  1841: HO107/

  1851: HO107/

  1861: RG9/

  1871: RG10/

  1881: RG11/

  1891: RG12/

  1901: RG13/

  1911:

  CGS Memorial Register

  Cumberland News 9/2/1918

  CWGC