Person Page - 305

     Michael J Tidy married Geraldine Stone in 1969 in Croydon, Surrey, England.¹ His wife Geraldine died on 17 February 1993 in Surrey, England.^2,3

     Leslie Rayner Smith was born on 16 May 1887. He married Evelyn Amie Cain, daughter of Ernest Harry Cain and Ada Eleanor Newman, in 1925 in Cuckfield, Sussex, England.^1,2 On 29 September 1939 in the National Register Leslie was listed as living at 8 Durban Road, Beckenham, Kent, England, with his wife Evelyn. Leslie was a jobbing gardener, Eleanor was a daily domestic maid.³ Leslie and Evelyn retired and went to livve in Wisborough Green in Sussex.¹

     Albert Edward Harding was born on 24 January 1901 in Wealdstone, Middlesex, England.^1,2 He was the son of Walter Robert Harding and Rosina Elizabeth Gale. He was the son of Walter Robert Harding and Rosina Elizabeth Harding in the 1911 census in 8 Elsie Terrace, Belmont Road, Wealdstone, Middlesex, England.³ He married Marion Nancy Lucy Elliott, daughter of George Elliott and Ada Elizabeth White, on 16 August 1930 in Christ Church, Shamley Green, Surrey, England, after the banns had been read. The ceremony was witnessed by Ruth Elliott, Alfred Charles Harding and Rosina Elizabeth Harding. Albert was in the Royal Navy serving with HMS St Cyrees in the Atlantic Fleet. His father Walter Harding was a mechanic. Marion's father George Elliott was a gardener.^4,5 In May 1941 the Germans invaded Crete and the Mediterranean fleet took serious damage during the campaign, HMS Warspite and HMS Valiant took up position 100 miles west of Crete at dawn on 20 May, to guard against the Italian fleet. The real danger turned out to be from German aircraft and, on 22 May, the battleships moved north to support a cruiser squadron that was under attack.
Soon after the two squadrons met, HMS Warspite was hit by bombs, destroyed her starboard 6 inch and 4 inch guns and killing 29 of the crew. She escaped back to Alexandria but then left the eastern Mediterranean for repairs.² He died on 22 May 1941 in Crete at age 40 he was a Commissioned Boson RN on HMS Warspite.^6,2 His name appears on the Naval Memorials at Chatham Part III.⁶ Albert is commemorated on a memorial stone with his wife Marion.⁷