Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

We will Remember

Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), Monday 25 October 1943, page 6 HEROES OF THE EMPIRE SEARLE. Harry.—A tribute to our sincere pal who left us for higher service at El Alamein. Oct. 25-26, 1942. Whatever we fail to do in time we will never forget you. pal a' mine.—Inserted by Bryan Holmes, Mick McKenzie. N.G.

HEROES OF THE EMPIRE

SEARLE.—A loving tribute to the memory of Harry who paid the supreme sacrifice. El Alamein, Oct. 25-26. 1942.— Inserted by Eva and Norm Tanner.

SEARLE, Dvr. Harry.—Memories are treasures no one can steal, death leaves a heartache no one can heal.—lnserted by his loving wife Beryl.

SEARLE.—In sad but loving memories of Harry, killed in action at El Alamein, , Oct. 25-26. 1942 A brother, thoughtful. loving and kind. A beautiful memory he left behind.—lnserted by his brother and sister-in-law. Doug and Dolly

SEARLE.— In memory of my uncle, Harry. A smiling face, a heart of gold. The dearest uncle my thoughts could hold.—lnserted by his little niece Isabel.

SEARLE. Harry Stephen.—A devoted and loving son, enlisted Minlaton, died El Alamein, Oct. 25-26. 1942.

SEARLE.—Fondest memories of my dear brother Harry, Killed in Action El Alamein. 25-26 Oc;.. 1942.—Inserted by Lulu.

SEARLE.—In loving memory of Harry beloved brother of Kath and brother-in- law of Dan, Killed in Action El Alamein. , Oct. 25-26. 1942.

Harry Searle

At the annual Speech Day at Minlaton School in 1923 the Headmaster was delighted with the 85% pass of students in the lower grades. That year Harry was announced as being Dux of his Grade Three class where he received an award of a Special Prize, Honour Roll. Harry also had a fine speaking voice, being chosen to do a recitation on the day. He was also a typically active school boy with the usual mishaps in the school yard, including breaking his arm in 1929. However he continued to excel academically, received awards for both spelling and Arithmetic in Grade 6 and regularly being announced as dux of his class up to Grades 6 and 7 when he was one of 16 who successfully sat for their QC exam.

In that same year, 1932 at the Minlaton Methodist Fair, Harry’s creative flair was evident when he received a prize for the Best Wooden Model of the late Capt. H. J. Butler's propeller. A few years later he was also a contributor with a concert item at the 1936 Minlaton Fair.

Prior to the commencement of the Second World War, Harry was a well-respected mechanic in his home town. After enlisting in June, 1940 Harry’s early training was held in the Motor Pavilion at the Wayville Showgrounds, Adelaide where he was alphabetically allocated the number SX8143. Two people with close numbers to Harry’s became firm friends – Mick (Albert Victor) McKenzie SX8138 and my father, (Stanley) Bryan Holmes, SX8133. Harry and his then girlfriend, Beryl Goodchild, of Kaltunga, also a South Australian, became very close friends during this initial Wayville training. Beryl was then a hairdresser and although the two were not then engaged, Bryan realised their intentions when he later witnessed Harry’s will. Training for the young soldiers at this stage was also at Woodside in the Adelaide Hills where the men became exceptionally proficient using their 303’s.

This group of new enlistees were on Pre-Embarkation leave from the 22nd of October to the 1st of November 1940. Consequently, Harry and Beryl organised their wedding for Wed 23rd October, 8:00 pm at the Methodist Church, Angaston with the reception at Davey Memorial Hall. As it was wartime, the original date advised for the wedding was Saturday 2nd November but the two were determined to have as much time together as possible.

It was not until Harry and the other fairly raw recruits left on the 19th of November on the ship Stratheden to eventually arrive in Egypt that they became part of the 2/48th Battalion and the 9th Division; ultimately becoming one of the now highly respected Rats of Tobruk. They served in

Harry served in Tobruk, Palestine and Syria. In the vicious fighting during October 1942 in Western Egypt, Harry was killed in action.

His early academic ability, poignantly continued to be recognised when The Angaston Leader in November of 1942 reprinted one of Harry’s poems from a group of nationally selected soldier poems. Harry’s was to his young new wife, Beryl at Angaston:

The train is winding slowly

Through a strange and foreign land

And as far as the eye can travel

Stretches the shifting sand.

Along the dying daylight

Into the darkening light,

The turning wheels are taking me

Farther from your sight.

But though I travel farther,

Even to the end of my day,

My love shall be as your love

For ever and for aye.

Harry’s death deeply affected his fellow soldiers. In a heartfelt tribute which reflects both the respect for Harry and the camaraderie within the 2/48th, the men learnt of a gift Harry had planned to give to his wife, Beryl. They all contributed to the purchase of the remaining exquisite antique pendant and ring from a Jerusalem jeweller whom Harry had chosen. These pieces were designed to complete a unique and valuable set of antique jewellery comprising pearls, opals and turquoise. While the Battalion was on leave in Australia in 1943, Beryl had been invited to stay with Private Casey’s parents at Hilton for the weekend. The platoon chose Private Casey to make the presentation of these last pieces of jewellery to Beryl with a ‘fine letter from the men’ and additional money to ‘obtain a suitable memento’. This typically thoughtful gesture was especially appreciated by Beryl and was reported in the Angaston Leader in March, 1943.

The year following Harry’s death, Bryan and Mick McKenzie continued to remember their friend, being one of several who inserted a tribute to Harry in The Advertiser;

HEROES OF THE EMPIRE

SEARLE. Harry.—A tribute to our sincere pal who left us for higher service at El Alamein. Oct. 25-26, 1942. Whatever we fail to do in time we will never forget you. pal a' mine.—Inserted by Bryan Holmes, Mick McKenzie. N.G.

SEARLE.—A loving tribute to the memory of Harry who paid the supreme sacrifice. El Alamein, Oct. 25-26. 1942.— Inserted by Eva and Norm Tanner.

SEARLE, Dvr. Harry.—Memories are treasures no one can steal, death leaves a heartache no one can heal.—lnserted by his loving wife Beryl.

SEARLE.—In sad but loving memories of Harry, killed in action at El Alamein, , Oct. 25-26. 1942 A brother, thoughtful, loving and kind. A beautiful memory he left behind.—lnserted by his brother and sister-in-law. Doug and Dolly

SEARLE.—In memory of my uncle, Harry. A smiling face, a heart of gold. . The dearest uncle my thoughts could hold.—lnserted by his little niece Isabel.

SEARLE. Harry Stephen.—A devoted and loving son, enlisted Minlaton, died El Alamein, Oct. 25-26. 1942.

SEARLE.—Fondest memories of my dear brother Harry, killed in action El Alamein. 25-26 Oct. 1942.—Inserted by Lulu.

SEARLE.—In loving memory of Harry beloved brother of Kath and brother-in- law of Dan, killed in action El Alamein. , Oct. 25-26. 1942.

Harry’s wife, Beryl chose to join the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS), becoming skilled in Morse code leaving Angaston on the 18th June 1943. She became an instructor in NSW then a supervisor at Lilyfield, Sydney.

Bryan continued to remember Harry, posting another message in October 1945, as did Harry’s wife Beryl;

HEROES OF THE EMPIRE

SEARLE.—A tribute of everlasting love to my darling husband. Harry Stephen, killed in action at El Alamein. October 25-26. 1942. We’ll surely meet again when they sound the last amen.—lnserted by his loving wife Beryl.

SEARLE. Harry.—At tribute to a sincere pal Remembrance is sweet.—  Bryan Holmes. 9th Division, Borneo,

After the war and Bryan’s safe return home, he continued to keep in touch with Beryl, who lived in Sydney.

In 1951 Harry continued to be publicly remembered

SEARLE. Harry.— Killed In action. October 25-26. at El Alamein 1942.— Dearly remembered by Beryl

SEARLE. Harry.— Killed in action. El Alamein, October 25-21 1942. — Ever remembered by pal Harry Chesson. Minnipa.

Harry is also one of 16 whom the local Minlaton Community has honoured on a magnificent copper and brass memorial at the Minlaton Hospital.

He was also privately remembered by so many of his fellow soldiers, especially on Anzac Day. Bryan Holmes was one of so many who lived the promise ‘We will remember them’.

Contributed by Kaye Lee, Bryan Holmes' daughter from memoires and conversations, plus rsearch