In Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery, Orkney is the Commonwealth War Grave of J/45578(PO) Ordinary Seaman William Hardy serving on HMS Malaya with the Royal Navy who died 31/05/1916.

The stepson of Ann P. Hardy, of 2, Richmond Terrace, Walbottle, Newburn on Tyne, and the late Job Hardy. He was born at Barrington Colliery.

Eoin Gallacher has submitted the following:-
William Hardy was born on the 24th July 1893 at Choppington, Northumberland, to parents Job Hardy and Isabella Rutherford, being baptised on the 20th August 1893 at Choppington. Sadly, Isabella, William’s mother, died in 1897. Job, his father, married Ann Rutherford in 1898. His residence in 1901 was recorded as Office Row, Barrington; his father, Job, was working as a Deputy Overman at the local Colliery. Job died in 1910.

By 1911, William aged 17, was working as a Grocer Apprentice, living at 8 Office Row, with his widowed stepmother and siblings, John, Stephen, Catherine and Isabella. They later moved to Walbottle, Northumberland.

William enlisted in the Royal Navy on the 26th October 1915.

Ordinary Seaman William Hardy died as a result of enemy action aboard H.M.S. Malaya on the 31st May 1916, being buried at Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery, he was aged 22.

William Hardy is remembered at Blucher on B165.01, at Elswick in E35.02 and on our list of Ships’ Crews.