Born to Emily Lucy Davis (née Rogers) and Henry George Davis on Portsea Island in Portsmouth on 18 August 1882, Henry Daniel Davis joined the Royal Navy at HMS VICTORY on 18 September 1898. At the time of joining, his civilian occupation being noted as “Labourer”, he “signed up” on 19 September to serve in the Royal Navy for a period of 12 years. At that time, he was described as rather slightly built with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. His Date of Birth was recorded on his naval documentation as 13 September 1880, probably to enable his recruitment as a Stoker 2nd Class and that required him to be at least 18 years old.

Davis trained to be a Stoker and, after gaining sufficient training and experience, was rated 1st Class on 2 August 1903. He had just recently married Alma Alberta Alice Hardings in Portsmouth on 5 July the same year.

It appears that Stoker 1st Class Davis joined HMS A5 around the time she was completed on 11 February 1905 and commissioning. He was a member of the crew when A5 and her tender, HMS HAZARD, sailed to Queenstown, (now Cobh) in the Republic of Ireland. On 16 February 1905, whilst berthed alongside HMS HAZARD, an explosion occurred on board, with a second explosion about 30 minutes later. Six of the crew were killed by these explosions.

Henry Davis survived long enough to be transferred to the Royal Naval Hospital Haulbowline on the island at the entrance to Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland (then a naval base used by the Royal Navy) where he died that same day aged twenty four.

Henry Davis was was buried in Old Church Cemetery near Cobh, with full military honours. He was survived by his widow, his parents and two siblings: a brother, Alfred, and a sister, Nellie.

Notices from Portsmouth Evening News of 17 February 1906

“DAVIS – In loving and affectionate memory of our dearest son Henry D. Davis who died in

Haulbowline Hospital from injuries sustained in explosion on Submarine A5 at Queenstown Harbour

on 16^th February, 1905, aged 22 years and five months.

One year is gone and still we miss you,

Friends may think the wound is healed,

None but God know the sorrow

Deep within our breasts concealed.

– Mother and father and grandma.”

“DAVIS – In loving memory of our dearest brother, Henry D. Davis who died in

Haulbowline Hospital from injuries sustained in explosion on Submarine A5 at Queenstown Harbour

on 16^th February, 1905, aged 22 years and five months.

And he is gone whom we so dearly loved,

Whose tender kindness we so often proved.

Ah, yes, he’s gone, his happy spirit’s fled,

And now he’s numbered with the silent dead.

– Nellie and Alfred.”