I AM making a desperate bid to trace relatives of Lt Hartington in time for the centenary of his death in July this year. A few years ago I was in touch with his nephew, a retired Colonel living in the Chippenham area, but not long afterwards I was seriously injured in a road accident. 
When I recovered I tried to contact the Colonel again by phone but the number no longer appeared valid.
John Hartington was born in Mexico where his father was working as manager of a textile mill. The family returned to Heywood, in Lancashire, and John, his brothers and sisters attended Bury Grammar School. 
John was a member of our school cadet corps, was a member of a highly successful 1st XI football team and captain of the school cricket team. 
He was School Captain in 1914, leaving at Christmas of that year to enlist in the Lancashire Fusiliers, our local regiment. 
He was transferred to the newly-formed Machine Gun Corps in 1916, winning the Military Cross at the battle of the Somme.
A few weeks after receiving his award in person from HM King George V he was killed during a German artillery barrage on British positions near the Belgian city of Ypres. 
He is buried in Lijssenthoek Brittish Cemetery, Poperinge, Belgium.
We shall be paying tribute to John and other Bury Grammar School Boys killed in 1917 in a special display and will be visiting John’s grave on our 24th annual school battlefields tour in October. 
We would very much like to get in touch with members of the family in order to involve them in our commemoration of this gallant soldier.
MARK HONE
Head of History & Politics
Bury Grammar School Boys
Tenterden Street
Bury
BL9 0HN
Tel: 0161 696 8600
Email: mhone@burygrammar.com