HARRISON, James
| Service Number: | 9028 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 7th Field Company Engineers |
| Born: | Wigan Road, Westleigh, Lancaster, England, June 1892 |
| Home Town: | Newcastle, Hunter Region, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Locomotive fireman |
| Died: | Suicide (war service related), Broadmeadow Railway Barracks, New South Wales, Australia, 30 May 1940 |
| Cemetery: |
Sandgate General Cemetery, Newcastle, NSW METHODIST 4-12. 23 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sapper, 9028, 7th Field Company Engineers | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 May 1916: | Involvement Sapper, 9028, 7th Field Company Engineers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 2 May 1916: | Embarked Sapper, 9028, 7th Field Company Engineers, HMAT Hororata, Sydney | |
| 13 May 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Sapper, 2nd Division Engineers, Headquarters - signaller | |
| 21 Aug 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Sapper, 9028, 7th Field Company Engineers, 2nd MD |
Help us honour James Harrison's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
“I Once was Lost, but Now am Found”.
On the Friday afternoon of the 31st May 1940, Sapper James Harrison, 2nd Division Engineers Headquarters (Signals), loco fireman from 8 Lott Street, Smedmore, New South Wales and 11 George Street, Mayfield East, N.S.W., father of three (Alwyn, Jack and Ronald), was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 48. METHODIST 4-12. 23.
Born at Wigan Road, Westleigh, Lancaster, England about 1892 to Thomas and Jane Harrison nee Eastham; husband of Ethel Phyllis? Harrison nee Locke (married 1920, Newcastle, N.S.W., died 1957?), James enlisted January 1916 with the 7th Field Company Australian Engineers at Sydney, N.S.W.
Sustaining no injuries or illness during his service, Mr Harrison returned home July 1919, being discharged August 1919.
James’s name has been inscribed on the Wickham Superior Public School Roll of Honour, Smedmore Roll of Honour, Smedmore School of Arts Honour Roll and the Port Waratah Locomotive Depot Roll of Honour.
The tragic circumstances of Mr Harrison’s death was reported.
I located this Forgotten Digger resting in an unmarked grave December 2018, so I placed a cross adorned with poppies on the gravesite, taken a photo of the grave and uploaded the photo onto the Northern Cemetery website as a permanent record of his service.
An application for a Commonwealth War Graves Plaque, curbing and marble chip submitted March 2020, and was accepted April 2020, completed October 2020.
Honour and Dignity restored.
Many thanks to Phil Winney and members of Merewether - Hamilton - Adamstown sub-Branch for the purchase of death certificate.
Lest We Forget.
Click images to start slideshow.