Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alan Herbert Harradine
Adelaide born on the 16th February 1919, Alan and his two older brothers, Frederick and Walter were all involved in the Australian Military Forces. Alan was the youngest son of Vincent and Ruby Harradine’s nine children and the first to enlist for WWII. His siblings were Walter, Vincent, Doris, Frederick, Ernest, Lorna, Norman and Jean.
just after his 22nd birthday in March of 1941, Alan relinquished his AMF S51112 number to become SX31379 and was eventually allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion.
Almost immediately, in April, he was posted overseas to see action in May of 1941, serving in Egypt, Tobruk, and Syria, becoming involved in the ferocious fighting. Because of his youth he was dubbed ‘Kid” Harradine, but certainly earned the respect of his fellow soldiers. All must have been an incredible cultural, physical and emotional challenge from the civility of living in Weymouth Street of Adelaide city.
1942 was a distressing year for Alan’s parents and siblings as the news drifted back that Private Alan had been twice wounded in action in Egypt. He sustained a gunshot wound in his hand on July 22nd and again on November 6th in his thigh. Being overseas, Alan was devastated to learn that his brother and sister-in-law (Frederick and Leila) lost their beautiful daughter Gwenneth May, aged 7 years 8 months in October of 1942.
Back home on leave in March of 1943, Alan and Rhonda Warne announced their marriage which ‘was quietly solemnised at Adelaide on March 27th. Rhonda’s parents were deceased. As did his family, despite being overseas, Alan continued to remember his little niece with a tribute in the local Advertiser that year: ‘HARRADINE.—A token of love and remembrance of Gwennie, passed away Oct. 23, 1942. Too far away your grave to see, but not too far to think of thee— Remembered by Uncle Alan (A.I.F.). and Aunty Rhonda.’. Similarly, in 1944: HARRADINE. —Cherished memories of Gwen passed away Oct. 23, 1942. She sleeps in God's beautiful garden, safe in the arms of Jesus. —Ever remembered by Uncle Alan (A.I.F., Aust.), Aunty Rhonda.’
Despite his injuries, Alan rose to become a Corporal in 1945 after Tarakan before finally being discharged in November of 1945. In August of the 1946, he and Rhonda welcomed their first son, Daryl Lee, then in June of 1948 a daughter Dale Susan. A further two years later their second son, Rodney Alan was born. All three children were born in the Queen Victoria Hospital. They added to their growing family with the arrivals of Vicki, Noel and Linda in subsequent years.
Alan died on the 7th June 1990 aged 71 years. He is remembered at Centennial Park, where both his parents and two brothers are also buried, with a memorial which pays tribute to his year of service during WWII.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133 2/48th Battalion.