| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Henry Harness was born the 5 Aug 1892 in Beverley. He was the 7th child of Robert Abbot and Mary Elizabeth Harness. He had five brothers, Robert, George, John, Samuel and Arthur; and six sisters, Sarah, Annie, Minnie, Eliza, Lily and Florence. He attended Moorgate Infants' and then Minster Boys' Schools, Beverley.
He joined the Royal Navy in 1908 as a boy sailor and trained to be a telegraphist. The 1911 census shows him on board the St George depot ship in Grimsby. He was assigned to HMS Pathfinder in October 1913.On 1 Jan 1914, he married Harriet Dukes at St Michael's Church, Skidby. At the time of his marriage he was a telegraphist on HMS Pathfinder.
When war was declared the Pathfinder was sent on patrol to the Firth of Forth. On 4 Sep 1914 the Pathfinder was returning to base and was just inside the Firth of Forth when it was hit by a torpedo from a U Boat and sank rapidly, some eye-witnesses estimating the sinking at 4 minutes. Reports of the loss of life varied widely, but the Government's Press Bureau estimated that out of a complement of around 259, only about 60 men survived. Henry was in the water for over an hour before he was rescued. He sent a telegram to his wife from HMS Tyne the following day saying "safe, all well." This was a shock to Harriet as she had not known where he was serving and therefore this was the first intimation she had had that he had been in danger.
After three weeks on a shore vessel, Henry was re-assigned to HMS Tiger. Three months later the Tiger was involved in the Battle of Dogger Bank and was badly damaged by enemy fire. Henry survived but his fellow telegraphist was killed. In July that year Henry was invalided out of the Navy with neurasthenia, a condition similar to PTSD. Henry was awarded the 1914-15 Star, Victory Medal and the British War Medal. He applied for and was given the Silver War Badge to show he had seen service in a theatre of war.
After discharge, Henry became a Corn Merchant's Traveller. Henry and Harriet lived in Skidby and had seven children, two of whom died in infancy. During the Second World War Henry was an ARP warden. He died in 1959
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |