Military History

Harry is listed as being killed in action on 5th June 1916 when his ship, HMS Hampshire, struck a mine and was sunk. The following is taken from Wikipedia.

On 5 June 1916 HMS Hampshire was ordered to carry Lord Kitchener from Scapa Flow on a diplomatic mission to Russia via the port of Arkhangelsk. Due to the gale-force conditions, it was decided that Hampshire would sail through the Pentland Firth, then turn north along the western coast of the Orkney Islands. This course would provide a lee from the strong winds, allowing escorting destroyers to keep pace with her. She departed Scapa Flow at 16:45 and about an hour later rendezvoused with her two escorts, the Acasta-class destroyers Unity and Victor. As the ships turned to the northwest, the gale increased and shifted direction so that the ships were facing it head on. This caused the destroyers to fall behind Hampshire. As it was considered unlikely that enemy submarines would be active in such conditions, Hampshire's Captain Savill ordered Unity and Victor to return to Scapa Flow.

HMS Hampshire in 1903

Sailing alone in heavy seas, Hampshire was approximately 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km; 1.7 mi) off Mainland in the Orkney Islands between Brough of Birsay and Marwick Head at 19:40 on 5 June when an explosion occurred and she heeled to starboard. She had struck one of several mines laid by the German minelaying submarine U-75 on 28–29 May, just before the Battle of Jutland. The detonation had holed the cruiser between bows and bridge, and the lifeboats were smashed against the side of the ship by the heavy seas when they were lowered. About 15 minutes after the explosion, Hampshire sank by the bow. Of the 735 crewmembers and 14 passengers aboard, only 12 crew survived after coming ashore on three Carley floats. A total of 737 were lost, including Kitchener and all the members of the mission to Russia. The sinking happened 12 miles north of the nearest Lifeboat Station at Stromness. There is speculation whether lifeboat intervention would have made any difference given the conditions, but the lifeboat was never called out.