{{Short description|Recipient of the Victoria Cross}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Use British English|date=November 2017}} {{Infobox military person |name= Israel Harding |image= VCIsraelHarding.jpg |image_size= |alt= |caption= |nickname= |birth_date= {{birth date|1833|10|21|df=yes}} |birth_place= Portsmouth, England |death_date= {{death date and age|1917|05|22|1833|10|21|df=yes}} |death_place= Billingshurst, West Sussex, England |burial_place= Highland Road Cemetery, Portsmouth |allegiance= United Kingdom |branch= Royal Navy |service_years= |rank= Chief Gunner |unit= {{HMS|Arrogant|1848|6}}<br/>{{HMS|Barracouta|1851|6}}<br/>{{HMS|Alexandra}} |commands= |battles= Crimean War<br/>1882 Anglo-Egyptian War<br/>Third Anglo-Ashanti War |awards= Victoria Cross<br/>Mentioned in dispatches |relations= |other_work= }} '''Israel Harding''', VC (21 October 1833 &ndash; 22 May 1917) was a sailor in the Royal Navy and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

==Naval career== Harding was 48 years old, and a gunner in the Royal Navy during the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC).

On 11 July 1882 at Alexandria, Egypt, {{HMS|Alexandra}}, with other ships, was bombarding the forts of the city and suffering damage and casualties from the enemy's guns. During the engagement a 10-inch shell passed through the ship's side and lodged on the main deck. Gunner Harding, hearing a shout that there was a live shell just above the hatchway (which led to the magazine) rushed up from below, picked it up and flung it into a tub of water. Had the shell burst it would probably have caused many deaths.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=25147|date=15 September 1882 |page=4260}}</ref>

On return to England the Victoria Cross was presented to him by Edward, Prince of Wales.<ref>Famous Fighters of the Fleet, Edward Fraser, 1904, p.307</ref>

Harding later achieved the rank of chief gunner. His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum in London.

<gallery> File:HMS Alexandra 1875.jpg|HMS Alexandra File:Grave of Israel Harding V.C.jpg|Grave of Israel Harding V.C. </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120716185435/http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/hampshir.htm Burial location of Israel Harding] "Hampshire" *[https://www.victoriacross.org.uk/bbhardin.htm News item] "Israel Harding's Victoria Cross sold at auction"

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harding, Israel}} Category:British recipients of the Victoria Cross Category:1833 births Category:1917 deaths Category:Royal Navy sailors Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Anglo-Egyptian War Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Crimean War Category:British military personnel of the Third Anglo-Ashanti War Category:Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross Category:People from Billingshurst Category:Military personnel from Portsmouth Category:Burials in Hampshire