Able Seaman Harold George Farr (P/JX 237292) served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Born on 25th August 1916, he was the son of Ethel Elizabeth Brown of Tilbury, Essex, England.
Harold served at H.M.S. President III. This was a shore base established on 28th August 1939 in Bristol to train men for Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships. He died on 4th August 1941 aged 24 years old. At his time of death, he served on S.S. Empire Hudson. U-82 sank the steamship just over a month later on 10th September 1941.
On 22nd August 1941, an inquest by Coroner Dr. R.A. McC. Wallace of Bangor, Co. Down took place into the seaman’s death. It found that Farr had fallen accidentally from a motorboat when returning to S.S. Empire Hudson. He had spent the August Bank Holiday in Bangor, Co. Down from where the motorboat left.
Merchant Navy Fireman Alfred Heath gave evidence that he was one of 3 passengers in the bow of the motorboat to fall overboard. The incident occurred when rough waters pitched the boat into a deep roll. The crew located 2 of the men including Heath in the water but after an hour there was no sign of Farr. The men were all sober when swept overboard. Farr could not swim.
Harold George Farr’s grave is in Glenalina Extension, Section D, Grave 8 of Belfast City Cemetery, Belfast. His headstone bears the inscription:
Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life”.