Harry Spicer Sharman

A Chief Engineman with H.M. Trawler Hayburn Wyke. Harry died on 2nd of January 1945 at the age of 46.

Harry was born at Lowestoft on 3 August 1897 (hence was actually 48 when he died), a son of John Edward James and Mary Anne Sharman. Between 1901 and 1911 Harry's family lived at 4 Wilde's Score, Lowestoft, and the 1911 Census shows Harry working as a Telegraph Boy. 

During the First World War both Harry, his father, and his brother, also called John Edward James, all served with the Royal Naval Reserve. Harry joined on 2 March 1915 and initially served as a Deck Hand. For a time Harry and his father both served on the requisitioned trawler 'Bon Espoir'. From 1 September 1915 Harry served on board H.M. Trawler 'Manzanita'. On 28 January 1916 Harry was confirmed in the rate of Engineman. Harry was serving on the Manzanita on 6 September when the vessel ran aground on the Ugenti Rocks, near Bari, and was written off as a wreck. Thereafter Harry served with the drifters on the Otranto Barrage: effectively a naval blockade of the Strait of Otranto. 

On 14/15 May 1917 the Austro-Hungarian navy raided the barrage. By this time Harry and his father were both serving on different trawlers but both were, according to their service records, 'Noted for Services.' This led to Harry's father being Mentioned in Despatches. In 1918 Harry's brother was also Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. 

In 1918 Harry married Dorothy Marion Rivett at Saint Margaret's Church, Lowestoft, on 12 October 1918. The marriage register shows his address as 47 Reeve Street, and gives his occupation as 'Patrolling R.N.R.' In 1920 Harry and Dorothy were living at 269 Raglan Street and in 1921 at 15 Haward Street. For a time, in 1923, Harry and Dorothy lived at Cleethorpes, but soon returned to Lowestoft. By 1939 they were living at 83 Kirkley Gardens.

Harry joined the Navy on 23 March 1940 and served with the Patrol Service. In May 1940 he was an Engineman on the requisitioned trawler Boy Roy. The Boy Roy helped in the Dunkirk. On 28 May the 'Boy Roy' was bombed in an air raid and had to be beached and abandoned in Dunkirk Harbour. Harry was noted for his service at Dunkirk and he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (London Gazette 16/08/1940).