Geoffrey Bransby O'Brien Harding

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Lieutenant-Commander Geoffrey Bransby O'Brien Harding, (30 April, 1899 – 31 January, 1942) served in the Royal Navy in both world wars, fighting at Jutland and dying in a lend-lease destroyer in early 1942.

Life & Career

The son of Dr. C. O'B. Harding.

Harding passed out of the Training Establishment in August 1914 and was appointed to the first class protected cruiser Amphitrite. He remained in her until being invalided in November 1914. On 1 February 1915, he was appointed to the new battlecruiser Tiger.

Harding fought in Tiger at the Battle of Jutland, not leaving the ship before being appointed to attend a course in Torpedo Control in October 1917. He would serve in the destroyers Mosquito for five months and Osiris for nine before the war ended.[1]

Harding was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 January, 1920.[2]

Harding was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 January, 1928.[3]

World War II

Harding was killed when his command, Belmont was torpedoed and lost to U-82.[4]

See Also

Bibliography

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Patrick E. Fell
Captain of H.M.S. Worcester
4 May, 1929[5] – Aug, 1929[6]
Succeeded by
Francis E. Wilmot-Sitwell
Preceded by
Charles G. Stuart
Captain of H.M.S. Woolston
16 Apr, 1930[7] – 24 Sep, 1930[8]
Succeeded by
Henry W. U. McCall
Preceded by
Guy B. Amery-Parkes
Captain of H.M.S. Walker
18 Dec, 1930[9][10] – 1931
Succeeded by
John Drinkwater
Preceded by
Richard G. Stewart
Captain of H.M.S. Warwick
18 Dec, 1930[11] – Jan, 1933
Succeeded by
John W. Durnford
Preceded by
Peter J. Fitzgerald
Captain of H.M.S. Belmont
11 Jul, 1941[12] – 31 Jan, 1942[13]
Succeeded by
Vessel Lost

Footnotes

  1. Harding Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/121/174. f. 174.
  2. Harding Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/121/174. f. 174.
  3. Harding Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/121/174. f. 174.
  4. Harding Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/121/174. f. 174.
  5. Harding Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/121/174. f. 174.
  6. Harding Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/121/174. f. 174.
  7. Harding Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/121/174. f. 174. Month is not certain here, due to legibility.
  8. Harding Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/121/174. f. 174.
  9. Harding Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/121/174. f. 174.
  10. The Navy List. (July, 1931). p. 285.
  11. The Navy List. (January, 1933). p. 291.
  12. Uboat.net page on the ship.
  13. Uboat.net page on the ship.