Able Seaman Charles Leonard Harding

Charles Leonard Harding was born to Joseph William Harding and Amy Harriett (also nee Harding) on 23 August 1893 and baptised at The Ascension Church in Balham Hill on 16 November 1893. His parents had married in 1889 and their first child William was born the following year. Two other children born in 1891 and 1892 died young. When Charles was baptised in 1893 his father worked as a Coachman and the family lived at 20 Ranmere Street, in Balham.

In March 1896, when his brother Bertram was baptised, his father had changed his occupation from Coachman to House painter. Another two children followed, but they also died at a young age followed by Sydney who was born in 1899.

In the census of 1901 Charles aged 7 was living with his parents Joseph and Amy and siblings William 10, Bertram 5 and Sydney aged 2 at 20 Ranmere Street Balham. His father still a House Painter.

Charles joined the Royal Navy on 2nd June 1909 as a Boy 2nd Class Just before his 16th birthday. His enlistment records describe him with brown auburn hair, blue eyes with a fair complexion. His occupation was listed as a Shop Boy. The first ship he was stationed on was the Impregnable.

By 9th April 1910 he had been promoted to Boy 1st Class whilst still serving on the Impregnable.

In the census of 1911 Charles’s father Joseph, still working as a House painter and Amy were living at 56 Maybury Street in Tooting with their 4 children: William working as a ticket collector at the tube railway, Bertram working as an Errand Boy, Sydney 12 and a new baby called Stanley aged one. Joseph and Amy had been married for 21 years and had eleven children of which six had died.

When this census was taken, Charles was on board ship the “Bacchante” a First Class Gunner in the Mediterranean harboured in Malta. On 23rd August 1911 when Charles reached his 18th birthday he was promoted to Ordinary Seaman whilst still serving on the Bacchante and enlisted for 12 years. By 29th November 1912 he obtained his highest rank by being promoted to Able Seaman whilst on board ship the Vanguard.

At the outbreak of war Charles was aged 21 and serving on HMS Dido. Records show he served 30 days’ detention for “Breakout and Drunkenness”.

Charles was killed while stationed aboard the HMS Derwent, a ship tasked with defending the Dover Strait from German submarines. On the 2nd May 1917 his ship struck a mine laid by a German Submarine and sank in the English Channel off Le Havre. 58 men from a crew of 70 died that day. Charles’s body was never recovered.

When his death was reported to his mother the family were living at 3 University Road, Colliers Wood, an address they remained at for many years. Charles is remembered at the Chatham Naval Memorial and also Christ Church in Mitcham where all four of his brothers got married. William married Kathleen Tipping in 1919. Sidney married Edith Ethel Cak in 1921. Bertram married Olive Mary Cox in 1923 and Stanley married Helen Sophia Dallamore in 1934.