HARMAN, William Henry
| Service Number: | 239 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 March 1915, Liverpool |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 17th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Ore, Hastings, England., 31 October 1893 |
| Home Town: | Waverley, Waverley, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Seaman, Tram Conductor, Cleaner |
| Died: | Dysentery, Egypt, 11 January 1916, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Cairo War Memorial Cemetery Grave reference D.253. INSCRIPTION - FONDLY REMEMBERED |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Mar 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 239, 17th Infantry Battalion, Liverpool | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 May 1915: | Involvement Private, 239, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 12 May 1915: | Embarked Private, 239, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Sydney | |
| 20 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 239, 17th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
William Henry HARMAN, (Service Number 239) was born on 31 October 1893 in Hastings, England. He was working in Sydney as a tram conductor from November 1913, but this must have been a simple way to earn a living as he gave his calling upon his enlistment on 1 March 1915 as the ‘Sea’. He was a sailor. He moved from the Tramway Traffic Branch to the Electrical Branch becoming a cleaner in early 1914 and then enlisted at Liverpool. At the time he was unmarried, giving his mother in England as next of kin, but this was later changed to his wife, Dorothy Marion.
Submitted 29 August 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
17th Battalion, A Company, Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force
Births Dec 1893 Harman William Henry Hastings 2b 17.
He was 22 and the son of George and Ellen Harman, The Broadway, Ore; husband of Mrs. Dorothy Marion Harman, of 118, St. James Rd., Waverley, Sydney, sometime of 30 Ruthven Street, Waverley, New South Wales.
His brother, Private George Harman served with the Royal Fusiliers [British forces]
Age on arrival in Australia 20
Address-c/o W H Harman, 30 Ruthven street Waverley, Sydney, New South Wales.
Enlistment date 1 March 1915
Age at embarkation 21
AWM Embarkation Roll number 23/34/1
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board Transport A32 Themistocles on 12 May 1915.
William is honoured on the Ore war memorial.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
William Henry HARMAN (Service Number 239) was born on 31st October 1893 in Hastings, England. He was working in Sydney as a tram conductor from November 1913, but this must have been a simple way to earn a living as he gave his calling upon his enlistment on 1st March 1915 as the ‘Sea’. He was a sailor. He moved from the Tramway Traffic Branch to the Electrical Branch becoming a cleaner in early 1914 and then enlisted at Liverpool. At the time he was unmarried, giving his mother in England as next of kin, but this was later changed to his wife, Dorothy Marion.
He left Australia from Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Thermistocles’ on 12th May 1915. He was allotted to the 17th Battalion.
A letter written by Dorothy in 1967 states that he was on Gallipoli at the battle of Lone Pine. In October he was hospitalised on Gallipoli, returned to duty, hospitalised, returned to duty, taken off onto a hospital ship, ‘Gloucester Castle’ and carried to Alexandria and then Cairo. He was dangerously ill with enteric and pneumonia. He died at Heliopolis (Egypt) on 11th January 1916. He was just 22 and was buried in the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery.
In 1967 medals were struck for Gallipoli Veterans, or their next of kin. Dorothy wrote to the Army in Canberra:
‘I am writing this letter to ask for an Anzac Medal in memory of my first young husband who fought at Gallipoli. He left Australia in May 1915 and went into action at Lone Pine in August 1915. He was in the trenches six months but died January 11, 1916 of dysentery. He was buried in the European Cemetery, Old Cairo. His Battalion was 17th (Seventeenth) and his number was 239. I married again seven years after, and my husband died a T.P.I. Although I get the full war pension my second husband wasn’t an Anzac. He belonged to the 3rd Battalion and the 54th Battalion. I shall be proud & honoured to have a badge for my first young husband.
Pte William Henry Harman
No. 239
17th Battalion
1st A.I.F.
Yours Truly
Dorothy M Robinson’
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
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