Harry was born in Brampton, Derbyshire in 1901 to William George Harry Cotterill and Rose Hannah Jackson. He was the eldest of six children. His siblings were his twin Kate, Victor, Madge, Jessie, and Rose. He joined the Royal Artillery at aged 19. In 1932 Harry married Eleanor Gertrude Appleby aka Gertie, and they had 6 children, Cassy, Norman, Eleanor, Mary, Joan and Patricia. The family lived in Newcastle upon Tyne and Carlisle. Harry was a professional soldier and in the 1930s his work took him and his family to India where his daughter Joan was born. They returned to England in 1938. In January 1939 Harry chose to leave the Army. After 18 years of service he was entitled to leave with his pension. When WW2 broke out he re-enlisted to serve his country. Harry was posted overseas. In 1941/42 Harry and his regiment were captured by the Japanese and held in Thailand. In 1943 Gertie passed away from Pneumonia. It would be another 2 years her children's father would be released from the POW camp. Here is an article of what happened next: Flight 66 of 117 Squadron RAF Dakota left Rangoon Mingladoon on the 8th September 1945 for Saigon to evacuate British Prisoners of War in the area who had been prisoners under the Japanese for three and a half years, all were suffering from starvation and tropical diseases. On arrival the plane, loaded with 24 POWs and the RAF crew of four, took off on the return flight, landing at Bangkok to refuel. It is then reported that about 1pm on that day villagers to the village of Nuaunggangle about 13 mile north west of Moulmein in Burma and about 150 miles south east of the final destination of Rangoon heard an aircraft out at sea, followed by an explosion. The same evening at high tide they found various articles washed ashore and the next day at low tide saw the wreckage scattered over a sandbank. Several bodies which were unidentified were recovered but no trace of survivors were found. The following is a list of crew and exprisoners who were known to be on the aircraft and died. All their names are recorded on the Singapore Memorial in Kranji War Cemetery Singapore. Crew: Wing Cdr Samson AJDFC (30); Sq Ltd Grotrian RPD (36); Flt/Lt Bridge R (39); Flt/Lt Cuthbert JF DFC (37); all of 117 Squadron RAF. POWs: Cpl Ablitt HR (33) RAMC; L.Sgt Arthur EA (34) 51 Fld RA; Gnr Bruce JB (38) k; Gnr Cotterill H (44) RA; Gnr Crawford JJ (29) RA; Bdr Daws F (33) RA; L/Sgt De Roux MF (40) RNF; Pte Edwards H (26) RAMC; L/Sgt Edwards EJ (29) Gordons; Sgt Hawthorn RH (37) RA; Gnr Hendy RH (37) RA; Pte Marskell GE (23) Suffolks; Gnr Payne JD (39) RA; L/Bdr Randell WJ (39) RA; Pte Ferrow J (25) 6 Norfolks; Pte Gadd RGV (23) E Surreys; Pte Jeeps L (24) 2 Cambs; L/Bdr Murfin R (28) RA; Gnr Pears JP (29) RA; Dvr Price M (33) RASC; Sgm Roy LFN (29) R Sigs; Pte Skeldon A (29) Argylls; Sgt Thomas V (29) RA; L/Cpl Warren FJ (31) RASC. After everything Harry endured, he was not to make it home. His children were sent to live in care for a short while before being brought up by a relative.
R.I.P Harry Cotterill.