Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

2nd Air Mechanic Herbert William HARRINGTON

Service No. 1903 – Australian Flying Corps, A.I.F.

Born: 6 November 1891, Queensland, Australia

Died: 21 March 1946, Toorak Gardens, South Australia

Buried: A.I.F. Cemetery, West Terrace, Adelaide – Kendrew Oval, Row 21, Site 10

Early Life and Family

Herbert William Harrington was born on 6 November 1891 in Queensland, the son of William Thomas Harrington and Edith Fanny Harrington (née Chinnock). His birth was registered in Brisbane under number B049566 (page 10799). He grew up in a home that would later be marked by separation and hardship.

His father, William Thomas, had worked intermittently as a tradesman and clerk, but by the early 1900s he had abandoned the family. Herbert's mother, Edith Fanny, moved her children to Sydney and struggled for many years to maintain their livelihood alone.

Living first in Cary Street, Drummoyne, and later at 57 Thompson Street, Edith raised her family with dignity despite financial hardship. She was described by local authorities as "a respectable woman in delicate health." Her son Herbert, then working as a clerk with the Postmaster-General's Department (P.M.G.), became her chief source of financial support, regularly sending home a large portion of his modest salary to help keep the household afloat.

Education and Occupation

Records suggest Herbert received a sound education, likely in Sydney after his mother's relocation from Brisbane. His intelligence, discipline, and reliability secured him a clerical appointment within the Commonwealth Postmaster-General's Department, one of the more stable government positions available at the time. He was described as punctual, respectful, and dependable — traits that would serve him well in military service.

Enlistment in the Australian Imperial Force

As the First World War intensified, Herbert enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 5 March 1917 at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, aged 25 years and four months. He declared his occupation as Clerk and his religion as Methodist.

Physical description on enlistment:

Height: 5 feet 6¾ inches
Weight: 130 pounds
Chest: 35½ inches (expanded to 44 inches)
Complexion: Fresh
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Dark brown
Distinguishing marks: A mole above the left hip and a scar on the left knee

He was assessed as having "good physical development" and passed his medical exam without issue. Vaccinations and inoculations were administered between 7 and 21 March 1917.

Herbert was posted to the Australian Flying Corps (A.F.C.), the aviation branch of the A.I.F., and attached to the Laverton Training Depot, Victoria, as a 2nd Air Mechanic.

Support for His Mother and Next of Kin Dispute

Before embarking, Herbert signed a sworn statement aboard ship on 27 September 1917, declaring:

"I am the sole support of my mother, Mrs. Edith F. Harrington, of ‘Brightside,' 64 Cary Street, Drummoyne, Sydney."

However, due to military protocol, his father — though long estranged — was initially listed as his next of kin. This led to a significant and emotional exchange between his mother and the Department of Defence.

On 1 February 1918, Edith Fanny Harrington wrote a heartfelt letter to Defence Headquarters:

"When my son enlisted, he was told that if his father was alive, he must put him down as next of kin. It was one of my son's most earnest wishes that his father should not know he had gone away. I have not the slightest idea where his father is in New South Wales or even in Australia."

Her plea was supported by a formal Inquiry Officer's Report (6 November 1917), confirming that the father had deserted the family in Brisbane 15 years earlier and had provided no support. The report also stated that Herbert had been contributing £2 10s per week from his £3 clerk's salary to his mother before enlistment, demonstrating his deep sense of duty and familial responsibility.

Following this investigation, Defence authorities amended the record to list Mrs. Edith Fanny Harrington as Herbert's official next of kin.

Embarkation and Overseas Service

Herbert embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT A32 Themistocles on 4 August 1917, as part of the May 1917 Reinforcements for the Australian Flying Corps. The Themistocles carried contingents bound for the Training Depot at Wendover, Buckinghamshire (UK), where the A.F.C. trained in aircraft maintenance, wireless telegraphy, and aerial gunnery.

After disembarking at Glasgow on 2 October 1917, Herbert was posted to No. 1 School of Wireless, where he trained as a signal mechanic, combining his clerical precision with new technical expertise. He was described in records as steady and reliable, with a marked aptitude for technical work.

In March 1918, he was transferred to France, embarking via Le Havre to serve with the Australian Flying Corps Wireless Section attached to the 3rd and 8th Squadrons. His duties involved maintaining radio and signal equipment, assisting pilots and ground crews, and supporting communications between air and field operations during the final phases of the war.

Return and Medical Examination

After the Armistice, Herbert was transferred to London for demobilisation and return to Australia. He embarked for home on 27 August 1919 aboard the transport "Prinz Hubertus."

Upon arrival, he underwent a medical examination at Sydney on 27 August 1919, recorded on the "Medical Report on an Invalid" form. His own declaration read:

"I am not suffering from any disability due to or aggravated by War Service, and feel fit and well."

(Signed) H.W. Harrington

The Medical Officer, Captain F.S.W. Zlotkowski, certified him fit for discharge. The accompanying "Opinion of Medical Board on Finalization" confirmed there was no permanent disability and no further treatment was required.

On 27 August 1919, his discharge was formally approved by Captain A. Chenhall at Sydney Headquarters, and his service concluded honourably.

Post-War Life and Family

After his discharge from the Australian Imperial Force in August 1919, Herbert William Harrington settled in Adelaide, South Australia, where he found clerical work and resumed civilian life. He married Rosannah Winifred Barling, and the couple made their home in Plympton, a growing suburban area near the city.

They had two daughters, both of whom went on to lead accomplished and respected lives:

Dr. Joan Margaret Llewellyn (née Harrington) – born 30 May 1926, who became an academic and educator. She married Reverend Wesley Ross Llewellyn, a respected minister and Royal Australian Navy and Army Chaplain.

Enid Gretta Harrington – born 27 October 1930 in Adelaide. Enid married Ronald Walter Howard, CBE (born 13 June 1929, Adelaide – died 23 June 2017, Huntfield Heights). Ronald Howard became a prominent South Australian public servant and community leader, later recognised as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his distinguished service. Enid herself was remembered as a gracious and generous woman who supported numerous charitable and civic endeavours throughout her long life. She passed away on 4 February 2025 at Noarlunga, aged 94.

Herbert and Rosannah raised their daughters in a home that valued education, service, and integrity — ideals that clearly carried forward into the next generations.

Death and Legacy

Herbert William Harrington passed away at Toorak Gardens on 21 March 1946, aged 54. He was laid to rest in the A.I.F. Cemetery, West Terrace, Adelaide, in Kendrew Oval, Row 21, Site 10. His headstone proudly bears his connection to the Australian Flying Corps, a pioneering branch of Australian military aviation.

His Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone reads:

In Memory of No. 1903, 2 Air Mech. Herbert William Harrington,

A.I.F. Australian Flying Corps,

Died at Toorak Gardens, 21 March 1946, aged 54 years.

Loved husband of Rosannah and father of Joan and Enid.

Rosannah Winifred Harrington survived her husband by several decades and remained in South Australia, close to her daughters and grandchildren. The Harrington, Llewellyn, and Howard families together represent three generations of South Australians who each contributed in significant ways to the nation's civic, spiritual, and educational life.

Medals and Decorations

Herbert was awarded the following campaign medals for his wartime service:

British War Medal – No. 4526
Victory Medal – No. 2020
1914–15 Star – Recorded on the service roll (later verified as Not Entitled due to later embarkation date)

His medals were officially issued and stamped on his A.I.F. record in 1921.

Character and Legacy

Herbert's life embodies the quiet virtues of loyalty, resilience, and selflessness. He enlisted not for adventure, but to serve both his nation and his mother — a theme echoed throughout his correspondence. His story is one of dignity in adversity: a man who endured family hardship, mastered a new trade in a pioneering military branch, and returned to build a stable home and raise an accomplished family.

Today, his descendants carry forward a legacy that connects early Australian aviation service with education, faith, and public service — the same values he lived by.

Primary Sources

National Archives of Australia – Series B2455, HARRINGTON, Herbert William
Australian War Memorial – Embarkation Roll No. 8/15/2
Commonwealth War Graves Commission – West Terrace Cemetery, A.I.F. Section
Australian Flying Corps Service Records, Laverton Depot & Wendover School of Wireless
Medical Report on an Invalid, Prinz Hubertus, 27 August 1919
Letter from Mrs. Edith F. Harrington, Drummoyne, NSW, 1 February 1918
Inquiry Officer's Report, Victoria Barracks, Sydney, 6 November 1917
Queensland Births Index, Reg. No. B049566 (1891–1892)

Biography by Trevor Pyatt 10/10/2025