Harry Church

A Stoker 1st Class with H.M.S. Vanguard, Harry died on 9th of July 1917 at the age of 29. 

Harry was born at Lowestoft on 27 January 1888, a son of George and Louisa Church. In 1891 his family lived at 2 Sayers Cottages, Carlton Road, Kirkley. By 1901 they were living at 2 Astons Cottages, Carlton Road, and Harry was an agricultural labourer. In 1911 Harry lived at 94 Beaconsfield Road, with his sister Eva Meadows and her husband Sidney, and Harry was a general labourer. 

Harry married Violet Elizabeth Daisy Prettyman in 1914, this was registered in the Mutford district. Their address was 9 Epsom Terrace, Kirkley Run, Lowestoft. In 1918 Violet married James Ogilvie, a Trimmer with the Royal Naval Reserve.  

Harry was working as an excavator when he joined the Royal Navy on 30 May 1916 as a Stoker 2nd Class. He served on H.M.S. Gibraltar before joining H.M.S. Vanguard on 30 January 1917.  

On 9 July 1917 H.M.S. Vanguard was moored at Scapa Flow. Late that day an internal explosion of cordite in the ship’s main magazine triggered other explosions and caused catastrophic damage destroying the ship, which sank immediately. Three men survived and another 843, including Harry, were killed.  

Harry's brother Edward served with the Bedfordshire Regiment and died in 1917.