The father of Harold, William James Hazelton and his two older children Elsie M (b.1880) and Percy R (b.1883) had moved to South London from Suffolk after the death of his wife and mother Ellen Hazelton (née Damant) who had passed away in 1886.

William James met Mary Jane Madder in Lambeth, London and they were wed in the borough of Wandsworth in early 1891. The first child of this union was Albert (b.1893). Harold was born on the  26 April 1899 followed by the sisters Gertrude E (b.1900), Ethel A (b.1902) and Constance E (b.1903) with all the birth’s being registered in the borough of Lambeth.

Harold Hazelton joined the Royal Navy on 9 March 1915 when he was 15 years and 11 months old after working for a short period as an office boy in London. He entered  HMS GANGES as a Boy II class on 9 March 1915 for basic training. He transferred to HMS IMPREGNABLE on the 23 April where he gained Boy I class and qualified for selection into the communication branch as a Boy Telegraphist. He was drafted to HMS VERNON on 15 July for 2 months branch training, leaving on the 28 August 1915 when he was drafted to HMS MAIDSTONE, initially for training then to ship’s company and joining HMS E22.

E22 was lost when struck by a single torpedo from the German submarine UB18, midday on 25 April 1916. The submarine had sailed six days before to carry out trials with 2 seaplanes in an attempt to intercept the German Zeppelins that were attacking the Eastern seaboard. Then E22 was diverted to join up with other submarines of the 8th flotilla in an attempt to  intercept German naval surface vessels known to  be heading for the English coastline. There were only 2 survivors who were rescued and interned as POW’s for the remainder of hostilities.

Boy Telegraphist Harold Hazelton joins a thankfully small group of 3 people who died aged just 16 years while on active service in submarines. He was lost the day before his 17th birthday. He is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial on Panel 14.