ARTHUR JOHN WILLIAM HARDWICKE
Born: 9th July 1897, Ipswich.
Died: 2nd April 1918; age 20; Died of Wounds received off Alexandria on S.S. ‘Aragon’ on the 30th December 1917.
Baptised: 9th September 1897, at St. Michael’s Church, Ipswich – family home at 19, Hervey Street, Ipswich.
Residence: Cookery Centre, Tower Ramparts, Ipswich.
Rank: Private; Service Number; 133760
Regiment: Middlesex Regiment, 29th Battalion, transferred to (133760) 365th Reserve Employment Coy, Labour Corps.
Medals Awarded: Victory & British War.
Grave Reference:
F.112.
Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery,
Egypt.
Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Arthur & Harriet Hardwicke (nee Neobard), of Cookery Centre, Tower Ramparts, Ipswich.
CENSUS
1901 Tower Ramparts, Ipswich.
Arthur was 3 years old and living with his parents & sisters.
Arthur Hardwicke, 43, a Caretaker – School, born Ashbocking, Suffolk.
Harriet Hardwicke (nee Neobard), 44, born Palgrave, Suffolk.
Julia Gertrude Hardwicke, 18, born Ipswich.
Violet Lilian Hardwicke, 14, born Ipswich.
1911 Cookery Centre, Tower Ramparts, Ipswich.
Arthur was 13 years old and living with his parents & sister.
Arthur, 53, a Caretaker – Education Committee.
Harriet, 54, an Assistant – Education Committee.
Julia, 28, an Assistant – Education Committee.
Soldiers’ Effects to Arthur Hardwicke – father.
(SS) H.T. ‘ARGON’
Troops bound for Palestine arrived at Alexandria, Egypt, on board the troop ship SS Aragon. On December 30th, 1917, the ship was permitted to enter the harbour, but was later ordered back out to sea again. She anchored 8 miles outside the harbour without any protection from submarine attack, for which she was an easy target. The Aragon was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine UC-34.
H.M.S. Attack and the armed trawler HMT “Points Castle” came to the rescue. H.M.S. Attack drew right alongside Aragon to take survivors aboard. H.M.S. Attack was crowded with 300 to 400 survivors. 20 minutes after being hit, the Aragon went down. A torpedo then struck HMS Attack amidships, cutting her into two pieces. It is estimated that the SS Aragon had lost 600 men in the incident, and H.M.S. Attack lost 10 crew. Three Ipswich men were lost.
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