425753, Private, 29th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (British Columbia) Regiment.
Harold was born in Fulham, London, on the 22nd June 1882, the son of Reuben & Jemima Tavener. The family later made their home at “Homeleigh”, Essex Road, Stevenage. Harold emigrated to Canada in 1908.
He attested for service in the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Winnipeg on the 16th February 1916. Harold stepped aboard the S.S. Lapland on the 13th March 1916 as part of the 45th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, and set sail for the shores of England, arriving in the motherland some twelve days later.
It was on the 7th May 1916, that Harold found himself transferred from the 45th Battalion to the 29th Battalion (British Columbia) of the Canadian Infantry. On the 30th October 1916, Harold was admitted to No.23 Casualty Clearing Station suffering from a bout of Trench Fever. He remained in hospital until the 16th November, by which time he was deemed to be sufficiently fit enough to re-join his unit and returned to his Battalion.
He was reported as Missing in action at Vimy Ridge on the 17th April 1917 and was not seen again. His Battalion were in a support area east of Neuville St.Vaast and the war diary shows that there was no enemy activity. However, it does record that 1 man was killed and 2 others wounded, probably as the result of artillery shell fire.
He has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Vimy Memorial to the Canadian Forces.