Hassard, EJ

Lieutenant Edward John Hassard

Edward was born on May 27th 1895, the second son of William Hassard, a member of the London Stock Exchange, and his wife, Louisa. Having joined Dulwich from Streatham College in 1907 he was to be a pupil for just over three years, leaving at the end of 1910. From the College he went on to Oundle, where he was a pupil for three years, leaving during the first half of 1914.
Shortly after Edward left Oundle the war broke out, and as a result he enrolled in the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; passing out to take a commission in the Royal Field Artillery in February 1915. He proceeded to Gallipoli that June, before being invalided home three months later, in September. Having recovered, he went over to France in July 1916 and went on to serve in the vicinity of Ypres for the next two years. Shortly after having arrived in France he was promoted to Lieutenant, and during this period also served for four months as Aide de Camp at Divisional Headquarters. In July 1918 he was awarded the M.C. for the way he had maintained calm in command of the guns despite being under heavy enemy fire, but the following month was seriously wounded. Having been invalided home for the second time in the war, he had been making a good recovery when he contracted influenza, and subsequently septic pneumonia, ultimately, on November 7th 1918, passing away in hospital in Marylebone.