In Whitley Bay (Hartley South) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave with a private headstone of 45376 Leading Wren Elinora Hare serving on H.M.S. Kestrel with the Women’s Royal Naval Service who died 31/12/1943.
The family headstone reads:
In loving memory of
Our dear daughter
L/Wren Elinora Hare W.R.N.S.
Died as a result of accident
31st Dec. 1943 aged 19 years.
Also of William her father
Capt. M.N. O.B.E. 1885-1954.
Elinora Hare was the daughter of William and Beatrice Ellen Hare, of Whitley Bay.
Angela Conroy has submitted the following:
Evening Chronicle 03/01/1944 reports:
Whitley Bay Wren Killed in Road Accident
Two brothers, both marines, and a Wren have died in Winchester Hospital from injuries received in a road accident during the weekend.
They were William and Daniel Ring, St George’s Road, Glasgow, and Leading Wren Elinora Hare, of King’s Drive, Whitley Bay, and were stationed at a naval camp in Hampshire.
The accident, in which an army lorry was involved, occurred while they were waiting for a bus.
Another Wren, Cynthia Arpthorpe, of All Soul’s Avenue, London, was also injured and taken to hospital. Her condition is not regarded as serious.
BACK FROM LEAVE
Leading Wren Hare, who had just returned from Christmas leave, is the 19-year old daughter of Captain William Hare, M.N. O.B.E., and Mrs Hare, of 16 King’s Drive, and had been in the service nearly two years, previously employed as a shorthand typist in Newcastle.
A native of South Shields, she lived in Buenos Aires until age of 15, when she became a pupil at Whitley and Monkseaton High School.
Whitley Seaside Chronicle and Visitors’ Gazette 07/01/1944 carries a death notice:
HARE- 16 King’s Drive, Whitley Bay, Dec 31st, accidentally, Leading Wren Elinora, W.R.N.S., aged 19, dearly beloved daughter of Capt. and Mrs W. Hare. Interred Whitley Cemetery Jan. 5th with naval honours.
Whitley Seaside Chronicle and Visitor’s Gazette Friday 14/01/1944:
Whitley Bay Wren Killed In Accident
The many friends of Leading Wren Elinora Hare of King’s Drive, Whitley Bay will learn with regret of her death in a Winchester Hospital following an accident on New Year’s Eve. It appears that Miss Hare was returning from leave, and was waiting in a queue for a bus near a camp when an American army lorry came out and ran into the queue killing two soldiers, as well as Miss Hare. She had been in the service for nearly two years, previously being employed as a shorthand typist in Newcastle.
A native of South Shields, she lived in Buenos Aires until the age of 15 when she became a pupil at Whitley and Monkseaton High School. She was interred at Whitley Cemetery with Naval honours.
Chris Hare has said:
Elinora would have become my aunt and it is so sad never to have had the chance to meet her.
My father, George, her younger brother missed her terribly.
He also attend Whitley Bay Grammar School.
I have had the pleasure of visiting the area several times. On my last visit 2 years ago we visited the grave of Elinora and my grandfather Capt William Hare.
Elinor Hare is remembered at Whitley Bay on W84.01 and W84.05 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
