Name
Henry Frank Neary
25/05/1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/09/1914
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Able Seaman
SS/2128
Royal Navy
H.M.S. "Cressy."
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Navy Star, British War Medal and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
2
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Henry was lost at sea, he has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial, Chatham, Kent.
UK & Other Memorials
Abbots Langley Village Memorial, Kings Langley Village Memorial, All Saint Church Memorial, Kings Langley, Not on the John Dickinson & Co memorial, We are not currently aware of a Pimlico memorial, Chatham Navel Memorial, Chatham, Kent
Biography
Henry Frank Neary, also known as Harry, was born in Marylebone in 1889. In the 1901 Census Frank was recorded living at Monks Island Kings Langley, the son of George and Francis Neary. Henry lived at Monks Island with his elder brother Charles, and younger sisters Isobel and Edith.
Henry enlisted in the Royal Navy at Chatham, Kent, on 22 September 1907, for five years. On completion of his service he was transferred to the Royal Naval Reserve, Chatham, on 22 September 1912.
On leaving the Royal Navy he followed in the footsteps of his father and brother, who were both Operatives in a Paper Mill, Henry worked at John Dickinson’s Paper Mills, and in 1914 was recorded as playing football with Kings Langley Football Club.
Henry was mobilised for war service in August 1914.
The November 1914 edition of the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine reported that
“Since our last issue the news of the loss of Harry Neary on HMS Cressy has been confirmed (also John William Mills from Abbots Langley lost his life on HMS Cressy). We commend to God's mercy both them and their dear ones left behind.” At this time Henry was living in Railway Terrace, Abbots Langley, and it is not known if he was serving in the Royal Navy, or was a reservist who was called up at the outbreak of War. He is commemorated on both the Kings and Abbots Langley War Memorials.
HMS “Cressy” was one of three cruisers sunk by U-boat U9 on the morning of 22 September 1914. HMS “Aboukir”, HMS “Hogue” and HMS “Cressy” were three old cruisers which patrolled the North Sea during the early days of the War. On the morning of 22nd September U9 sighted the cruisers slowly crossing its path. At 6.25 the submarine torpedoed HMS “Aboukir”, and then fired two torpedoes at HMS “Hogue”. Both ships sank and at 7.20 the U9 fired three torpedoes at HMS “Cressy”. The first missed, the second hit the “Cressy”, damaging the cruiser, but the third was the final blow and the ship sank within a quarter of an hour. Other ships in the patrol picked up 837 survivors, but 1459 men perished, of which many were reservists or cadets.
William Mills, from Abbots Langley also served on HMS “Cressy”, and died when the ship sank.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
