Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Harry was a bit of a larrikan and I can remember him being involved in a least 2 dramas in the mid 1950’s. His love of motorcycles (he used to ride dare devil through a ball a flame at the local speedway) almost cost him his life when he was riding through Lady Gowrie Drive in South Australia with Jack Nankivell ( family friend) when they had quite a serious accident. Harry lost almost all of his tongue and for the rest of his life was unable to eat any fresh bread as he would choke.

The other incident, a boating accident, involved my father and another family friend (Jack Fitzgerald) who lost his life by drowning. They were fishing about a mile off shore at St Kilda (SA) when their boat was swamped by speed boat. Their boat overturned and my father who could not swim was pulled under and got tangled in all the fishing gear. Harry dived down continuosly and eventually pulled him to the surface and laid him over the upturned hull of the boat. By then Jack had disappeared. Harry hailed a passing fishing boat but they ignored his shouts for help, so he swam over a mile to the shore to get help. When help arrived my father was in serious trouble and had to be resuccitated and rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Jack Fitzgerald’s body wasn’t found until 10 days later at Port Gawler which was some miles further down the Coast. Unfortunately Harry became an habitual drunk and all efforts to try and help him would fail. In later life he became homeless and lived in and around the Parks in Adelaide.