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Phillip (Harry) Harrison

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Phillip (Harry) Harrison
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Personal Information
Date of Birth not known 1892
Place of Birth Ballarat, Victoria
Death 7 Aug 1915
Place of Death Gallipoli, Turkey
Age at Enlistment 22 years, 11 months
Description 5'4" (1.m) tall ; 128 lbs
58.06 kg
; fair complexion ; grey eyes ; brown hair
Occupation Mill hand
Religion Church of England
Address No 1 Mill, Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Next of Kin Father , Mr Thomas Henry Harrison
Military Information
Reg Number 100
Date of Enlistment 10 Sep 1914
Rank Lance Corporal
Unit/Formation 16th Battalion, C Company / 4th Brigade, 1st Division
Date of Embarkation 22 Dec 1914 ‒ 1 Feb 1915
Ship Embarked On HMAT A40 Ceramic
Fate Killed in Action 7 Aug 1915 Gallipoli
Monument Jarrahdale War Memorial
Jarrahdale Honour Roll
Lone Pine Memorial
Australian War Memorial
Medals 1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal



Pre War

War Service

Entered camp a week before the formation of the 16th Battalion, and was one of the day 1 members of the newly created 16th Battalion. On 18 Sep 1914 he was amongst 300 men who assembled at the Drill hall Perth and were conveyed to Helena vale by train. They established camp on the eastern slope of Blackboy Hill. Harry would have travelled to Melbourne in November with the rest of the battalion, spread over two ships - SS Dimboola, and SS Indarra. The signallers, and 'C' Company to which Harry belonged travelled on SS Indarra, departing Fremantle on 21 Nov 1914. On 17 Dec 1914 they participated in the Ceremonial March through Melbourne, and on 22 Dec 1914 at Port Melbourne they boarded HMAT A40 Ceramic. For the previous two days heavy rain had caused the men and their equipment to be soaked - concern was expressed about influenza and the condition of the Broadmeadows camp in the official war diary. Five days after leaving Melbourne they anchored in King George Sound, Albany on 27 Dec 1914.


On 20 Jan 1915 the Ceramic had reached Aden, and at 6:30am on 27 Jan 1915 they were at anchor in Port Suez. Two days later they entered the canal, and after a brief pause at Port Said, arrived in Alexandria at 8:00am on 1 Feb 1915. Following training in Egypt, along with the rest of 'C' Company, Harry, whose role was as a signaler, embarked on HMAT A48 Seang Bee in Alexandria on 12 Apr 1915 to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli. The rest of the battalion were aboard HMT Haida Pascha. The 16th Battalion landed in the afternoon of 25 April.


On Gallipoli Harry was appointed Lance Corporal on 30 Jun 1915. On the day of his death the battalion along with others were tasked with capturing Hill 971. For a range of reasons this turned out to not be possible, and the battalion took heavy casualties on a day of hard slog over terrible country under machine gun, artillery and sniper fire. Twenty four men including Harry were killed that day and 45 injured in their unit alone.


  • Section of Lone Pine Memorial
  • Lone Pine memorial photo Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Notes

His Father was granted a pension of 30 /- fortnightly from 24 Aug 1917.


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