Charles Talbot Hardy

Vice-Admiral Charles Talbot Hardy, C.B.E. (18 July, 1877 – 15 January, 1935) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War. He was a torpedo officer of "great intellectual attainments" and his service record is entirely free of negative remarks or incidents.

Life & Career

Born in Nether Hallam, Yokrshire, the son of Major General T. Hardy.

Hardy was promoted to Lieutenant on 15 January, 1898. On 30 September, 1899 he was sent to Vernon to qualify in torpedoes. With these credentials in hand, he would serve as torpedo officer in Anson, Glory, Diadem, Resolution and Bulwark before being promoted to Commander on 30 June, 1909. Also noteworthy was his work in late 1908 in inventing a mechanism to indicate to a spotting officer when the shells of his battery would splash down.

As a Commander, Hardy worked first for two years at experimental work in developing mine-sweeping methods at Vernon before being appointed to Temeraire as executive officer on 31 August, 1911. He left after two years to undertake a three month War Course and then six months at War College at Portsmouth. With war looming, Hardy left War College for the Admiralty War Staff on 29 July, 1914.

Great War

On 8 October, 1914, Hardy was appointed to provide service under the Director of Naval Ordnance and was later loaned to serve with the Humber Boom Defence.

Hardy assisted in putting out a fire in M.F.A. Lyons on 13 June, 1915 and was promoted to Captain on 30 June. On 3 July, he left the Humber and was appointed to Colleen, additional, for charge of Auxiliary Patrol Area XXI, encompassing South and the South-west Coast of Ireland from bases at Queenstown and Berehaven. He remained there until being appointed to Victory on 9 February, 1916, to assume command of the armed merchant cruiser Avoca upon her commissioning.

Hardy was ordered to return to England on 27 March, 1918 and sailed for home in Melita on 17 April. He was appointed Assistant Director of the Trade Division on 2 June, 1918.

Post-War

Hardy left the Trade Division when he was lent to the Royal Australian Navy on 7 December, 1919. Intended to last three years, this loan actually ended on 18 June, 1923 when he reverted to Royal Navy service. He was next appointed in command of the battleship H.M.S. Ajax in August, 1923, remaining with her until some time in 1924.

Hardy was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 8 July, 1926 and placed on the Retired List the following day.

Hardy was promoted to Vice-Admiral on the Retired List on 1 April, 1931.

See Also

• Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by ?	Senior Officer in Charge, Auxiliary Patrol Area XXI 3 Jul, 1915 – 9 Feb, 1916	Succeeded by Charles A. W. Wrightson
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Avoca 9 Feb, 1916 – Feb, 1918	Succeeded by Edward O. Gladstone
Preceded by Horace W. Longden	Assistant Director of the Trade Division 2 Jun, 1918 – 7 Dec, 1919	Succeeded by Charles J. C. Little
Preceded by George Trewby	Captain of H.M.S. Ajax Sep, 1923 – 24 Apr, 1924	Succeeded by William M. Kerr
Preceded by John E. T. Harper	Captain of H.M.S. Resolution 24 Apr, 1924 – 5 May, 1925	Succeeded by Raymond Fitzmaurice
Preceded by Humphrey H. Smith as Captain in Charge, Portland	Commodore-in-Charge, Portland 5 May, 1925 – 8 Jul, 1926	Succeeded by Arthur G. Craufurd