Harry Charles Miles

Source: Copy of Birth Certificate.

Married in the Parish Church according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England.

Place:	Parish Church, Havant.
Date:	Dec 26th, 1927.
Groom:	Harry Charles Miles - 27 - Bachelor
Occupation:	AB. RN. [Able Bodied Seaman, Royal Navy]
Residence:	H.M.S. Campbell.
Father:	Leonard James Miles
Profession:	Plasterer.
Bride:	Gertrude Flossie Young - 22 - Spinster.
Residence:	Havant.
Father:	William Young
Profession:	Labourer.

In the Presence of: Grace Louisa Young, William Young, C.H. Spinney, Asst curate.

Source: Copy of Marriage Certificate.

Source: Copy of Death Certificate.

Harry was cremated at Portchester Crematorium.

1. Frank R. Miles was born around Jan/March 1891 in Winton, Hampshire.  Possibly Frank Reginald Miles born in Apr-Jun 1891 in Christchurch (Volume 2b Page 657).
   
2. Lillian "Lily" M. Miles was born on ____ around 1894 in Bournemouth.  Possibly Lillian Ethel M. Miles born in Jul-Sep 1904 in Christchurch (Volume 2b Page 671).

Lillian lived into her 90s. Never married. All her life, she lived at 58 Emsbury Avenue and worked at Bobby's Department Store in Bournemouth.  Registered her father's death in 1955 and her mother's death in 1957, when her name was given as L.M. Miles.  Not sure what the M stands for.

3. Alice B. Miles was born on ____ around 1896 in Bournemouth and was married in ____ in ____ to ____ ____.  Possibly Alice Beatrice Miles born in Oct-Dec 1895 in Christchurch (Volume 2b Page 641).

They had some children and lived in Oldham.

4. Rose Miles was born in Apr-Jun 1898 in Bournemouth and was married in ____ in ____ to Albert "Bert" ____.   Christchurch Volume 2b Page 645.

They stayed in Bournemouth.

5. Harry Charles Miles was born on the 16th of July 1900 and married on the 26th of December 1927 in Havant to Gertrude Flossie Young.
   
6. Edith "Eadie" Miles was born (twin) on ____ around 1902 in Bournemouth and married in ____ in ____ to Reginald "Reg" Purchase.  Possibly Edith Emma Miles born in Jul-Sep 1904 in Christchurch (Volume 2b Page 665).

They lived in Bournemouth, where Reg was the manager of a Laundry Business.

7. Edward "Ted" Miles was born on ____ around 1902 in Bournemouth. (twin)

Ted died young of gangrene; diabetes complication after an injury to his arm. He was a fireman on the railway. Lived in Bournemouth and never married.

8. Harold Miles was born on ____ around 1904 in Bournemouth. He was first married on ____ in ____ to ____ ____ and then, after his first wife died, was married on ____ in ____ to Irene ____ from Wales.  Possibly Harold Ernest W. Miles born in Apr-Jun 1907 in Christchurch (Volume 2b Page 664).

Harold was a boxer, but had to give it up after being badly burned by fireworks. Lived at 60 Emsbury Avenue, Bournemouth, next door to his parents, in a house built by his father, Leonard Miles.

9. Ethel Miles was born on ____ around 1910 in Bournemouth and married on ____ in ____ to ____ ____.  Possibly Ethel Ann Miles born in 1904, or Lillian Ethel M. Miles born in 1904, or Ethel Lavinia M. Miles born in 1907, all in Christchurch.

Ethel also worked in Bobby's Department Store in Bournemouth. Her husband was a labourer for the Council.  They lived in Bournemouth and had one son.

1901 Census - 19 Windsor Road, Winton, Moordown, Bournemouth, Southamptonshire - RG 13/1045 Page 17.

Harry at 9 months old.

• Windsor Road, Highfield, Winton, Bournemouth 1900 (birth)
• 19 Windsor Road, Winton, Moordown, Bournemouth.  1901  (census)
• H.M.S. Campbell 1927 (marriage)
• 35 Crossway, Havant. 1929 - 1972 (death)

• Seaman Gunner in the Royal Navy.
• Stoker at the Havant Water Works.
• After he retired, he became a chimney sweep. He used to get invitations to weddings in Havant to provide good luck handshakes.

Date of entry: Boy Service, 24 January 1916.

Physical description:
 

Marks, wounds or scars: Crossed hearts and arrow with initials "H.P." on left forearm.

Date and period of engagement:
16 July 1918 for twelve years
4 July 1930 to complete time for pension

Official service number: J 48686

Ship/Shore establishments served on:
 

(**NDR: Denotes no date recorded)

Unfortunately there remains a blank period in Harry's record of service from 9 February 1941 up until the date of his release in Class "A" on 14 September 1945. This was due to officers and ratings from the Writers Branch being seconded into more pressing duties, i.e. the war effort.

Ratings held:

Character: Mixed Good to Very Good.

Three Good Conduct Badges issued:

Presented the Long Service and Good Conduct medal on 2 March 1940.

Source: Ministry of Defence, Bourne Avenue, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 1RF.

Would never drink at home, but always had a drink at the Prince of Wales before his night work at the water works.

Played on the darts team at the Prince of Wales.

Took part in the mutiny of 1926 when the sailors were asked to do the work of the miners during the general strike.

Just before the war, in 1937/38, he did a world tour with George VI and his wife, the present Queen Mother. His wife loved to play tricks and spend time with the crew. The tour included Canada, USA and New Zealand.

His ship brought the King of Norway to Britain when Norway fell to the Germans during WWII. The Germans got so close that the skipper took off while the ship was still tied to the pier and took the pier with the ship.

Harry was torpedoed twice during battles but survived both because he was on deck manning the guns. HMS Orion was badly damaged while evacuating troops from Crete.

Harry's friend Ginger, who sat beside him on the guns, had his head blown off by a shell during a sea battle.


HMS REVENGE

HMS GLASGOW (C21)
Built by Scotts, Greenock. Laid Down 16th April 1935.
Launched 20th June 1936. Completed 9th September 1937.  Harry assigned on 8th Sep 1937.
Paid off November 1956.   Broken up by Hughes Bolckow, Blyth, 1958.

Malta - First convoy 1941
Illustrious damaged 10th January and forced to retire. 11th January Light Cruiser Glasgow damaged and Light Cruiser Southampton sunk after catching fire. (A Destroyer was also sunk).

HMS ORION.
"The loss of Maleme airfield threatened the whole allied position in Crete since the Germans, with air-superiority, were able to bring in reinforcements and supplies. Despite Australian success at Retimo and Heraklion, German pressure continued to rise and on 27 May 1941 General Wavell ordered allied forces to abandon the island. The 2/4th Australian Battalion, at Heraklion was the first to leave. They boarded the cruisers Orion and Dido and the destroyers Hereward, Hasty, Havoc, Imperial, Hotspur and Jackal. During the 350 mile trip these ships were under constant attack from waves of German Stukas. About 600 men were killed including 48 Australians."

Evacuation of Crete May 22nd to May 30th 1941   (follow link for complete story)
Cruiser HMS York abandoned during evacuations.  Juno bombed and sunk May 21st off Crete by S79's.  Carlisle hit 22nd May
The Cruisers Orion, and Dido, along with the destroyers Hereward, Hasty, Havoc, Imperial, Hotspur and Jackal evacuated troops from the northern ports.  The evacuation night 28th-29th May, Ajax accompanying Orion and Dido was forced to turn back due to damage.  Troops also evacuated on destroyers Hotspur, Decoy, Kimberley, Hereward, Jackal and Imperial.
Dido was damaged, Hereward lost and beached on Crete, Decoy damaged, Orion badly damaged, Imperial abandoned and sunk.

------------------

The other ship was sunk in the Baltic Sea.

Harry was in the Navy for 30 years, was torpedoed twice, and never learned to swim!!

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The following information was provided by George Chew (george.chew@eidosnet.co.uk) a retired Royal Navy Gunnery Instructor.  George is in the process of creating a web-site for the HMS Impregnable Association.

"Harry Miles's time in the navy followed a pattern of commissions similar to my own. At the time he entered the service there was very severe competition between the 'depots', these being Portsmouth, Chatham and Plymouth. Ships were seen as 'Pompey-based', or otherwise, and manned by sailors with official numbers P/jxxxxxx etc. Portsmouth was the principal depot, the reason being that most of the training facilities were within short distance of that city and convenient for travel to London with it's Ministry for War, (Now Ministry of Defence).

HMS Impregnable was a Boys' training ship stuck in the middle of Pompey (Portsmouth) harbour; hard knocks were learned.

HMS Victory was the Royal Naval Barracks and was/is used for transit purposes and the mustering of ships' companies when being drawn together prior to commissioning. Most Portsmouth-based sailors have been through RNB; it was a B of a ship for tightening up discipline after some time at sea! but nothing compared to the gunnery training school, HMS Excellent.
Your Grandad (in-law) was a gunnery rating and would spend a lot of time there, between ships, being trained and learning more modern methods of fighting a ship.
X'lent was nicknamed 'Whale Island' as it grew out of Portsmouth harbour from the deposit of landfil from the construction of the dry docks in Pompey dockyard and it took on the shape of a whale while it became a fully-fledged island. The island was 5/8ths of a mile in circumference and many a sailor has had to double around it carrying a 4.5" shell for committing the slightest misdemenour. The regime was very strict indeed, everything being done at the double. Even officers up to rank commander, on courses, downwards moved at the double and the instructors, senior ratings - Gunners' Mates were proper Bs. Parades and ceremonial were also carried there with some of the finest military precision you could hope to see. I was a Gunnery Instructor myself, at Whale Island, for about eight years.

HMS Ganges was a Boys' training establishment near Ipswich and had a reputation for

hard discipline so Harry would've found life hard before joining his first sea-going ship and would be looking forward to it.

HMS Collingwood is the modern navy training establishment: full of technology and wizardry. The sailors there are different to when Harry was there. We call them 'Volt Jockeys'.

The Empress of India was a ship which took complete ship's companies out to the Far East
and far flung stations because in those days the commissions were two and a half years long and ships stayed out there with new crews being taken under the auspices of the merchant service. Empress was one such ship.

All the other ships mentioned in your pen-picture of Harry's career were seagoing and each had meritorious service during WW2 and before - when Britain had an Empire."

Other distinguishing features were the faceted bow, a characteristic of subsequent British battleships but first seen on the Iron Duke, and the two thin round funnels.  As the war progressed larger control tops were fitted to the prominent tripod mast, as well as a turret-mounted aircraft fly-off ramp.   It is also worth noting that the Iron Duke was the first Royal Navy battleship with anti-aircraft guns, mounting two 3" high angle guns atop her aft superstructure.

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