ELDRIDGE, Harold Charles

Harold was born 1892 in Newport to Charles & Julia Frances ELDRIDGE who were living at 3 Eastleigh Terrace, Lugley Street in Newport around the time of Harold’s death.

Harold, aged 24, died whilst a Turkish prisoner of war on the 5th of October 1916 in Bagtche Prison Camp. This working prison camp was located in the Vilayet of Adana, twenty-five miles east-northeast of Osmania in the Amanus Range, in south eastern Anatolia. British prisoners worked in labour detachments, digging a railroad tunnel through twelve miles of rock to connect Bagtche with Entilli. This prison camp supported labour detachments working in the Amanus Sector in Yarbashi, Shehr Dere, & Airan (which the prisoners reported that they received good treatment).

Harold was buried beneath a Commission Headstone in the Baghdad North Gate Cemetery in Iraq, however in the early 1990’s the headstones were removed due to damage caused by the effects of the harsh environment. They are yet to be replaced due to the instability of the region. Until such time, the names are recorded in a Role of Honour on view at the CWGC HQ in Maidenhead.

Harold is also remembered on the County & Newport Borough War Memorials.