Harold Herbert Dabell
Member of Nottingham Sea Cadets. Employed by Messrs. JB Lewis & Sons.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Harold Herbert was the only child of James William and Emma Dabell (née Leigh).
His father James (b. 1896), was one of a numerous family, whose parents, James and Annie (née Wright), came from Sawtry, in Huntingdonshire, where they were married in the parish church in 1882. The family moved to Bulwell where his mother died in 1905.
James snr. married secondly in 1906 Martha Gadsden (née Warloys m. 1883) whose husband William had died in 1899 leaving her with two children, Thomas and Louisa. James and Martha with her daughter Louisa and four of his children, including James (15), were living at 26 Repton Road, Bulwell, at the time of the 1911 Census.
Harold's father may have served in the Great War as there is a record of the award of the British War Medal and Victory Medal to 23983 Private James William Dabell, 9th Battalion Notts & Derby Regiment.
In 1921 James was recorded as a visitor in the home of his widowed sister, Ellen Worley (m. 26 December 1914) at 45 Logan Street, Bulwell. Ellen's husband Harry, R/2066 AB RNVR/Drake Battalion RND, had been killed in March 1918 (Arras Memorial), leaving her with a daughter.
James married Emma Leigh later that year (registered Nottingham) and their only child, Herbert Henry, was born in Doncaster on 12 May 1925. The couple were recorded on the 1930 West Yorkshire Electoral Register at 25 Acacia Road, Adwick-le-street, Doncaster.
However, James and Emma were back in Nottingham and living at 49 Longford Crescent, Bulwell, when the 1939 England & Wales Register was compiled. James, who had previously worked in the mining industry, gave his occupation as a master window cleaner. There is one closed record for this address and this might be the record of their son, Herbert, who would have been about 14 years old. Also in the home was James' nephew, Leslie Dabell, a textile engineer. James's older brother, Richard Wright Dabell, had married Matilda N Faulconbridge in 1916 and they had had two sons, Thomas (b. 1916 prob. d. 1938) and Leslie (b. 1922). Both Leslie's parents were hospital patients; his father in Nottingham City Isolation Hospital and his mother at Mapperley Hospital. Matilda died in 1944 and Richard in January 1947.
Herbert's parents continued to live in Bulwell until their deaths; his father in 1965 and his mother in 1980.
HMS Mahratta
HMS Mahratta was an M-class destroyer. Mahratta was adopted by the people of Walsall, who held a "Warship Week" from 7–14 February 1942, aiming to raise £700,000 – the cost of a warship. She was completed on 8 April 1943 and entered service on that date. During trials in May 1943 HMS Mahratta escorted RMS Queen Mary part way across the Atlantic. She had a short but busy career in the North Atlantic and Arctic, largely guarding merchant convoys.
On 25 February 1944, a Catalina aircraft of 210 Squadron attacked and sank U-601 which was trailing the convoy. Mahratta was struck by two T5 Gnat torpedoes fired by U-990 off the coast of Norway. She sank at 71°17′N 13°30′E.
Only 16 of the 236 crew survived. Six men from the City of Nottingham perished – Leading Seaman Fred Bater from Mapperley, Ordinary Seamen Harold Dabell from Bulwell and John Wheatley from Nottingham, Able Seaman William Howes from Aspley, Leading Steward Stanley Scott from Lenton and Signalman George Smith from Nottingham. Ordinary Seaman Gerald Whyles from Worksop also died. (Wikipedia)
Harold's body was not recovered and his name is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial (Panel 88. Column 1).
CWGC Additional information: 'Son of James William and Emma Dabell, of Bulwell, Nottinghamshire'
Nottingham Evening Post, 10 March 1944: ‘Nottingham Seaman Killed. Ordinary Seaman Harold Herbert Dabell RN., of 49, Longford-crescent, Bulwell Hall Estate, is now presumed killed.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, 11 March 1944: Photograph with caption ‘Missing, presumed killed: OD Harold H Dabell of 4, Langford-crescent, Bulwell Hall Estate.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Journal, 11 March 1944: ‘Presumed Killed. Mr and Mrs J Dabell, of 49, Longford-crescent, Bulwell Hall Estate, have been officially informed that their only son Torpedoman Herbert Harold Dabell, RN, has been reported missing, presumed killed, on active service. Before joining the Navy in June, 1943, Torpedoman Dabell was employed by Messrs. J.B. Lewis and Sons, and was a member of the Nottingham Sea Cadets.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Photo of Harold Herbert Dabell
Commemorated on Plymouth Naval Memorial (www.cwgc.org)
Harold Herbert Dabell
Nottingham Evening Post 11/3//1944