Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Henry Farey a bricklayer, born 1867 in Kettering, Northamptonshire and his wife Alice Sarah Farey (nee Cook, married in the 2nd quarter of 1888 in the Kettering, Northamptonshire district), born 1869 in Long Buckby, Northamptonshire. Horace Charles was born in the 4th quarter of 1897 in Kettering, in March 1901 the family home was at 95, Blundell Street, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. In April 1911 Horace was employed as an office boy and was residing in the family home at 25, Quorn Avenue, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire together with his parents and brother, Thomas Reginald, a schoolboy, born 1902 in Cleethorpes.
Horace enlisted into the Royal Navy on the 9th August 1915 in Plymouth, Devon and was allocated the service number Bristol Z/4058. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 6½ inches in height, and he had a chest measurement of between 32 and 36 inches, his hair colour was brown and he had blue eyes, his complexion was described as fair. He gave his trade or calling as book binder and his religion as Congregational Chapel. e nominated his father Thomas Henry Farey as his next of kin and gave the address as 25, Quorn Avenue, Melton Mowbray, Leics. He gave his date of birth as the 4th December 1896.
The background relating to the circumstances in which Horace lost his life are as follows; HM trawler St. Ives was sunk with the loss of ten men when she struck a mine that had been laid by the German Submarine U.17 off St Anthony Head, Falmouth.
On Friday December 29th 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – LOCAL NAVAL SIGNALLER MISSING. – On Friday morning an official notification was received by Mr. T. Farey, 23, Quorn-avenue, that his son, Horace Farey, a signaller in the Royal Navy, is missing. He was formerly an apprentice in Messrs. Towney and Co.’s bookbinding department, and joined the Royal Naval Division, being subsequently transferred to the Royal Navy.
On Friday January 5th 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON SAILOR KILLED”. Mrs H. Farey, of 25, Quorn Avenue, Melton Mowbray, whose son was recently reported missing, has received the following letter:- Naval Headquarters, Falmouth. Dec. 30th 1916. Dear Madam, In reply to your letter of the 28th inst., I very much regret to inform you that Signalman Horace Charles Farey met his death when H.M. Trawler ------- was blown up by a mine. I am, yours faithfully. J.A. Collett, Lieut. Commander in charge. In the same edition, published under the heading. Births, Marriages and Deaths was the following. THANKS. Mr. And Mrs H. Farey, and Master Reggie Farey, 25, Quorn Avenue, Melton Mowbray desire to return their sincere thanks for the numerous expressions of sympathy which they have received in their sad bereavement. The family are later shown to have moved to 141, Havelock Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire.