Harry William Roll

An Ordnance Artificer 2nd Class with H.M.S. Egret, Harry died on 27th of August 1943 aged 28. 

Harry was born at Lowestoft on 21 February 1915, a son of Harry James and Bessie Roll. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church on 1 April 1915 and his family lived at Hedley House, Beaconsfield Road. In 1921 his family lived at 267 London Road South, and this was Harry’s home for the rest of his life. 

In August 1943 Harry’s ship, the sloop H.M.S. Egret, was involved in anti-submarine work in the Bay of Biscay. On 27 August the Egret was attacked by German Dornier 217 aircraft carrying Henschel glide bombs. One of the glide bombs, a type of guided missile, hit, and sank the Egret with the loss of 198 men, including Harry. The Egret was the first ship to be sunk by a guided missile.