Harry Augustus Genet DSO

Rank:

Lieutenant Colonel

Unit at enlistment:

58th Battalion

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Cemetery:

Merstham, Surrey, England - Unknown Cemetery

Awards or decorations:

Distinguished Service Order, Mentioned in Despatches

Commemorated at:

Grace Anglican Church

Birth country:

England

Birth county:

Greater London

Birth city:

London

Address at enlistment:

173 Chatham Street, Brantford, Ontario

Next of kin address:

173 Chatham Street, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Accountant

Employer:

Adams Wagon Works

Religious denominations:

Church of England

Marital status:

Married

Age at enlistment:

Gallantry medals:

Yes

Letters and documents

BX November 15, 1915

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Augustus Genet is Injured

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Augustus Genet, commanding officer of the 58th Overseas Battalion stationed at Toronto and formerly commander of the 38th Dufferin Rifles, was thrown from his horse at High Park, Toronto, on Saturday and badly injured. It is understood that he dislocated his shoulder and broke two ribs. It is expected that his battalion will leave shortly for overseas service.

London Gazette: 29886
Date: January 1, 1917
Honour or Award: Distinguished Service Order
Name: Harry Augustus Genet (Lieutenant Colonel)
Unit: 58th Battalion

London Gazette: 29890
Date: January 4, 1917
Honour or Award: Mentioned in Despatches
Name: Harry Augustus Genet (Lieutenant Colonel)
Unit: 58th Battalion

BX November 28, 1916

Distinguished Service Order to Lieutenant Colonel Harry Augustus Genet – Commander of 58th Battalion Has Been Recommended for Order of Merit

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Augustus Genet, of Brantford, has been recommended for the Distinguished Service Order. This information was contained in a letter to The Expositor from Chaplain Hedley of the 58th Battalion. The letter states that in all 33 members of the battalion have been recommended for decorations and that in addition to the commanding officer, three other heroes from Brantford were included in the honors.

BX September 23, 1916

Appreciative Letters From Boys at Front

At the Recent meeting of Brant Chapter, I.O.D.E., the following appreciative letters from the officers and men in the trenches were read

My Dear Mrs. Smith,

Kindly accept for yourself and the other members of Brant Chapter, I.O.D.E., our very sincerest thanks for the parcels of socks which have just reached us. They are most acceptable and highly appreciated by the men. It is also a comfort to know that kind friends are thinking of us and willing hands doing what they can for our men. I can assure you that the men are fully deserving of anything you can do for them. They are splendid. In the recent operations our Battalion did well, upholding the best traditions of British soldiers. We have of course, suffered many serious losses. In Major Ballachey I have lost a valuable officer and a very dear friend. Major Hicks is wounded and not likely to rejoining us. Lieut. Pearce has distinguished himself for consistently good work and gallant conduct and will not doubt receive a decoration. Lieuts. Cornelius and Wallace have both done good work, the former being now invalided and in England, but I hope for his return soon. All the Brantford men have done well. I thought you would all like to know how worthy your fellow citizens are of anything you can for them. They take everything as it comes and never complain, they are “always merry and bright.” Again thanking you for your good wishes and practical help and with kindest regards.

Sincerely yours,
Harry A. Genet

BX January 18, 1917

Only Twelve Brantford Men Now with 19th – So Writes Lieutenant Colonel Harry Augustus Genet in Appreciating Efforts of Brant Chapter – Christmas Gifts Sent – Men Were Very Grateful for Pleasing Additions to the Christmas Festivities – Many Letters of Appreciation Received

Brantford men with the 19th Battalion appreciated parcels sent to them by Brant Chapter, I.O.D.E., as is shown by a number of letters received from the recipients.

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Augustus Genet Writes:

Lt.-Col. Harry A. Genet, writing on behalf of himself and his men to Mrs. Gordon Smith, says in part:

Dear Mrs. Smith,

The parcels for the Brantford men arrived a few days ago and I had the contents divided amongst them. I regret to say that there are only about 12 of them left. All expressed themselves as most grateful for the generosity and kindness of the ladies of the Brant Chapter, I.O.D.E.

I have just had a letter from Mrs. Lloyd Harris, stating that she was sending an additional supply for the men from your chapter. I expect some of them will acknowledge with their thanks, but I desire to express mine on their behalf. Judging from the enormous number of parcels arriving there will be ample for every man in the battalion. The people at home are certainly most thoughtful and generous. Thank you for your congratulations to Jack. Needless to say we are all very proud of him. His own general told me he had done “magnificently.” I had the good fortune to be on leave lately at the same time that he was, and on the day I was going back Harry arrived from Saloniki, also on leave, but I only had three hours of his company.

The men all keep very cheerful in spite of all discomforts. They are splendid at all times and always more than a match for the Hun on anything like an equal footing. Of course we shall all be glad when this wretched affair is over and we can get back again to our homes and friends.

I will not fail to let you know if there is anything special that you can do for them. I know you will do it readily and cheerfully and that they are worthy of any effort on your part. Kindly accept for yourself and the Major our very kindest wishes for the New Year, and express to the members of your chapter our grateful appreciation of all their self-sacrificing efforts on behalf of our men.

BX December 15, 1917

Is it Too Much to Expect Home Candidates to Sink Difficulties – So Asks Lieutenant Colonel Harry Augustus Genet, Who Calls for the sending of Reinforcements for the Gallant Men at the Front

The following Christmas message has been received by The Expositor from Lieut.-Col. Harry Genet, O.C., 58th Battalion, too late for insertion in the Christmas Number.

Dear Sir,

In reply to your request for a Christmas message to my fellow citizens of Brantford, I do not think I can do better than to assure them of my ever increasing admiration of the conduct and bearing of the men of the Canadian Corps. Their courage and fortitude in the face of danger and discomfort are beyond praise. It is always the same story at – Ypres, Somme, Vimy, Lens and Passchendaele, every difficulty overcome and every danger cheerfully faced. The results are never in doubt. What they go after they get, and what they get they hold. Is it too much to expect that our fellow citizens, now living in Canada in comfort and security, purchased by the blood of their brothers here in France, will sink all differences, political or otherwise, and unite in the common cause of our Empire and make one great effort to support and reinforce their army in the field? We are going to win. We have both the right and the might to win, but it can only be done by a united and determined people.

I wish you all a happy Christmas, the last I hope that will be spent in this condition of separation and suspense. A New Year of peace and happiness will be the unfailing realization of a united will and endeavor to secure it. May both be ours.

Faithfully yours,
Harry A. Genet,
Lieutenant-Colonel
O.C. 58th Canadian Battalion

BC May 9, 1918

Says Foe can Gain Objective if he is Willing to Pay Price – But it Will Be Higher Than Importance of Results Warrant – Lieutenant Colonel Genet Home – Spirit in England and France is Splendid, Says Local Officer

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Augustus Genet and Mrs. Genet arrived in the city last evening on a few days visit and are staying at the Kirby House. It was in the fall of 1915 that the Colonel left Brantford in command of the 58th Battalion and when he departed from the Western front he had been longer on duty there than any other Colonel. At his own request there was no special demonstration and when the 7.40 train pulled in from Toronto he and his wife were warmly greeted by Colonel and Mrs. Howard and a few other intimate friends. He is looking exceedingly well after his arduous and notable experience.

To a Courier representative this morning Lieutenant Colonel Genet gave an interview characteristic of the optimism of the colonel himself. He is the same genial personality whom Brantfordites knew in years past, and was busy today renewing acquaintances after his absence of almost three years from the city.

Can get it at a Price

“The situation on the Western front today,” declares Lieutenant Colonel Genet, “is practically the same as a real estate deal in Brant County. The Germans can attain their objectives if they are willing to pay the price, but that price will be one prohibitive of successful effort on their part. It does not look at present, as if they are willing to pay it, but in any event there is no cause for alarm. England is calm and confident of the outcome. Her people are taking the war much more seriously than Canadians, but there is no fear in their heart, no real discontent in their occasional grumblings.”

58th in Fighting

The 58th Battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Harry Genet, is one of the only two battalions recruited in 1915, which went to the front as a unit. The other was the 75th Battalion, which also contained a large number of Brantford men. The 58th went overseas in the autumn of 1915 and crossed to France early the following year. The unit was stationed first in the Ypres salient, and there went through the fighting at Sanctuary Wood and Observatory Ridge. It was in the latter “show” that Major Panayoty Percy Ballachey lost his life and Lieutenant Colonel Genet this morning had a word of high praise and deep regret for his fallen comrade, with whom he had been associated in the 38th Dufferin Rifles for twenty-five years. It was at Observatory Ridge also that Lieutenant Colonel Harry Augustus Genet won his Distinguished Service Order.

The 58th Battalion was moved to the Somme salient in time to share in the fighting there in the early autumn of 1916, and later went to Vimy bearing a part in the capture of that ridge in April 1917. Later, the battalion was transferred to Lens and when all was in readiness for an attack which promised to place the great coal centre in Canadian hands a sudden change in the plans of the higher command resulted in the moving of the 58th and other troops to Passchendaele to aid in the British drive there. It was shortly after this that Lieutenant Colonel Genet left the front, but he believes that the 58th Battalion is back a Lens once more at present.

“To the best of his knowledge, only two of the Brantford men who went overseas with the battalion are still at the front,” stated the colonel. Of the Officers Major Panayoty Percy Ballachey has made the supreme sacrifice, while Lieutenant Colonel Genet, Major Frank Elsworth Hicks, Captain John Richard Cornelius, Captain Charles Edward Jeakins, Lieutenant Joseph Algernon Pearce and Lieutenant William John Wallace all have been invalided home.

Shortly before his departure from France on January 13th last, Lieutenant Colonel Genet saw a detachment of American troops.

“There is an impression abroad” he declared “that the Americans come over with a cocksure air boasting that they intend to finish the war for us, but this is far from the case. They admit that they have a lot to learn, and they are learning it rapidly. Their spirit is one of determination “we won’t come back till it’s over, over there.”

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Augustus Genet’s family has a patriotic record which can scarcely be surpassed. The colonel himself holds the D.S.O., while both his sons Lieutenant John Ernest Genet and Harry Genet have won the Military Cross. Mrs. Genet accompanied her husband to England, and has been engaged in war work there. On two occasions she was under fire during air raids on London, a bomb dropping within two hundred yards of her home in one instance.

BX March 19, 1946

Death Calls Col. H.A. Genet

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Augustus Genet, D.S.O., V.D., for many years a resident of this City and widely known throughout Canada, died Sunday at his residence, Merstham, Surrey, England, in his 83rd year.

Colonel Genet, who had a distinguished career in the First Great War, raised and commanded the 58th Battalion, which went to France as a unit and fought throughout the Somme. He was decorated with the D.S.O. by King George V. November 1, 1917. He was mentioned in dispatches by Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig. After a leave spent here, he returned to the reserve army in England and later was recalled to Canada to assume the duties of A.A.G. Military District 3, Kingston, Ont. He took up residence in England some years ago.

Surviving are two sons, Brigadier General John E. (Jack) Genet, Kingston, former resident of this City, who had a distinguished career in the war just ended as commander of Signals in the Canadian Active Army, and Harry T. Genet, Beeston, England.