Harry Sadler moved to Badsey from Willersey in about January 1917. Private Sadler’s name is recorded on the war memorial in St James’ Church, Badsey, and he is buried in the churchyard.
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Harry Sadler was born at Willersey, the second of four children of George and Jane Sadler. He had an older brother, Frank, and two younger sisters, Florence Daisy and Ivy Blanche. Harry’s father, George, died in 1906 and Jane married again, in 1908, to widower James Jordan who had two sons. At the time of the 1911 census, James and Jane were living in Willersey with James’s two sons and Jane’s four children.
By January 1917, the family was living in Badsey, as that was the date when the youngest in the family, Ivy, enrolled at Badsey Council School. The family lived at 8 Bowers Hill.
Harry turned 18 in June 1918, thus becoming eligible for military service. He joined the 5th Reserve Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Just a few months later he died at Northumberland War Hospital, Gosforth, on 17th October 1918 as a result of pneumonia following influenza; he was buried in Badsey Churchyard. Local members of the VTC formed a bearer-party but, in accordance with the wishes of Private Sadler’s mother who wished the funeral to be as quiet as circumstances would allow, there were no volleys and no “Last Post”. The choir attended and sang a psalm and hymn in church and another hymn at the graveside and the organist played the Dead March. Six months later, the military authorities erected a wooden cross over his grave.
1918 was a sad year for the Sadler family: George Sadler and two of his brothers each lost a son. Arthur Sadler (son of Arthur), aged 23, died on 22nd March 1918; Ernest Charles Sadler (son of Charles), aged 19, died on 13th April 1918; and Harry (son of George) died on 17th October 1918. In 1916, Thomas Sadler (son of William), aged 22, had died on 30th July. Three of the cousins, Arthur, Ernest Charles and Thomas, are named on the Willersey War Memorial. Even though he spent most of his life in Willersey, Harry was not recorded at Willersey, only on the Badsey War Memorial.
Jane Jordan’s other son, Frank, also suffered injuries during the Great War. Shortly before his brother’s death, he was wounded in the arm and head on 6th October 1918, but was progressing favourably at a hospital in Bristol. Frank continued to live in the Vale of Evesham until his death in 1970. James and Jane Jordan continued to live at 8 Bowers Hill until at least 1931.