Theodore Bailey Hardy
Encyclopedia
Theodore Bayley Hardy VC
, DSO
, MC
(20 October 1863 – 18 October 1918) was a Chaplain in the British Army
and English
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces. In addition to the VC, Hardy had been awarded the Military Cross
and the Distinguished Service Order
, making him one of the most decorated non-combatants of the First World War.
Hardy was born 20 October 1863 to George and Sarah Richards Hardy of Exeter. Hardy was educated at the Royal Commercial Travellers School, Pinner, Middlesex from 1872–1879, City of London School
from 1879–1882 and at the University of London
. He was ordained in 1898. He was an Assistant Master at Nottingham High School
from 1891–1907, at which one of the Junior School's houses
is named in his honour. He was married to Florence Elizabeth Hastings, who died in 1914.
Hardy was aged 51 when war broke out, and was priest at Hutton Roof
in the Lake District. He volunteered at once but was turned down as being too old. Eventually, in August 1916, he was accepted for army service as a Temporary Chaplain to the Forces, 4th Class and attached to 8th Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment. He carried out the following deeds for which he was awarded the a series of decorations. First he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
(DSO) on 18 October 1917, the full citation was published on 7 March 1918:
This was followed by the Military Cross
(MC) on 17 December 1917, the citation following on 23 April 1918:
Finally came the VC on 7 July 1918:
Hardy was appointed to the honorary position of Chaplain to His Majesty
on 17 September 1918. He was wounded in action when again trying to tend to the wounded and died a week later in Rouen
, France
, on 18 October 1918.
He was buried at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France, in block S, plot V, row J, grave 1. There are memorials to Hardy at Carlisle Cathedral, at the former Royal Commercial Travellers School Pinner Middlesex (now the Harrow Arts Centre), City of London School
and in his old church at Hutton Roof in Cumbria
.
His medals are displayed at The Museum of Army Chaplaincy
(Amport, Hampshire, England).
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(20 October 1863 – 18 October 1918) was a Chaplain in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces. In addition to the VC, Hardy had been awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
and the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, making him one of the most decorated non-combatants of the First World War.
Hardy was born 20 October 1863 to George and Sarah Richards Hardy of Exeter. Hardy was educated at the Royal Commercial Travellers School, Pinner, Middlesex from 1872–1879, City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
from 1879–1882 and at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. He was ordained in 1898. He was an Assistant Master at Nottingham High School
Nottingham High School
Nottingham High School is a British boys' independent school situated about a mile north of Nottingham city centre. It has around 900 pupils from ages 11 to 18 and there is the adjoining Nottingham High Junior School catering for younger boys and, from September 2008, the Lovell House...
from 1891–1907, at which one of the Junior School's houses
House system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
is named in his honour. He was married to Florence Elizabeth Hastings, who died in 1914.
Hardy was aged 51 when war broke out, and was priest at Hutton Roof
Hutton Roof, South Lakeland
Hutton Roof is a village and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England, close to Kirkby Lonsdale and Hutton Roof Crags. The parish includes the hamlet of Newbiggin. It has a population of 193.-External links:...
in the Lake District. He volunteered at once but was turned down as being too old. Eventually, in August 1916, he was accepted for army service as a Temporary Chaplain to the Forces, 4th Class and attached to 8th Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment. He carried out the following deeds for which he was awarded the a series of decorations. First he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO) on 18 October 1917, the full citation was published on 7 March 1918:
This was followed by the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(MC) on 17 December 1917, the citation following on 23 April 1918:
Finally came the VC on 7 July 1918:
Hardy was appointed to the honorary position of Chaplain to His Majesty
Ecclesiastical Household
The Ecclesiastical Household is a part of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. Reflecting the different constitutions of the Churches of England and of Scotland, there are separate Ecclesiastical Households in each nation.-England:...
on 17 September 1918. He was wounded in action when again trying to tend to the wounded and died a week later in Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, on 18 October 1918.
He was buried at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France, in block S, plot V, row J, grave 1. There are memorials to Hardy at Carlisle Cathedral, at the former Royal Commercial Travellers School Pinner Middlesex (now the Harrow Arts Centre), City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
and in his old church at Hutton Roof in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
.
His medals are displayed at The Museum of Army Chaplaincy
The Museum of Army Chaplaincy
The Museum of Army Chaplaincy is a museum at Amport House, Hampshire, United Kingdom, which tells the story of British Army Chaplaincy from earliest times to the present day with the help of archive material and historical relics from several centuries...
(Amport, Hampshire, England).