Harold Welford Sheffield, born on 23rd September 1896, was admitted to King Edward’s School as a Foundation Scholar in September 1909, having previously attended Greenhill School in Moseley. Harold was the only son of George, a commercial traveller, and Ada. He lived with his parents and his younger sister at 84, Oxford Road, Moseley.
Harold was in the Second Class of the Modern School, studying a scientific rather than a classical, curriculum. As was expected of Foundation Scholars, he was highly able and placed fourth overall in his class. At School, he was a Sergeant in the Officer Training Corps and in his final year was a member of the Debating Society.
Immediately after leaving School, Harold enrolled as a Cadet at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, where he remained until April 1916. He obtained his commission as a Second Lieutenant with the 1st Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment, departing for France in June 1916. He saw action on July 3rd at Mametz Wood, where he was first wounded and invalided home. He returned to France in April 1917, only to be wounded again a month later at Fountaine-le Croisille. Harold remained invalided in England until December 1917. He was promoted to Lieutenant in October 1917 whilst recovering, and returned to France in March 1918. In the German attack of the 21st March, Harold was in charge of two platoons. He was killed, aged twenty, encouraging his men from the parapet on 23rd March 1918, near Épehy. Despite the details provided of his death, his body was never recovered. As such, he is commemorated on the Pozières Memorial, on the St. Agnes Church War Memorial in Moseley and on the St. Mary’s Church War Memorial in Beverley, Hull. He left his estate of £370 to his father.