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Harry Luxton Lock

Information provided by Harry’s daughter -in-law, Tina Lock. Researched and submitted by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133 2/48th Battalion.

A local of Renmark, Harry Luxton Lock was the seventh child born to Ethelwynne (Wynne) and John Lock, born in the family home on Fourteen Street on July 9th 1920. Harry’s early schooling at Renmark Primary saw him regularly being named for gaining high marks in the weekly tests and for homework from 1927 -1931 including in October, 1927 following a school Inspector’s visit where the Inspector reported he was “very pleased with the work throughout, the school is in a fine state of efficiency.” Harry progressed to Renmark High School until, at the age of 15 he began his working career as a compositor/printer with his father in the local newspaper, the Murray Pioneer. He also doubled as a projectionist at Renmark’s Capitol Theatre for three years from 1936 – 1939. There were also other interests in Berri, an 18 Km bike ride away, where an attractive worker at Rudd’s Café, Audrey Tape made milkshakes that kept bringing Harry back.

In June 1940, just five years after leaving school, aged 19 and with a group of mates, he enlisted in WWII in the South Australian based 2/48th Battalion. They trained at Wayville, now the Adelaide Showgrounds before marching to Woodside for more training, then overseas on the Stratheden. Prior to his departure Audrey and Harry became engaged in November. The Adelaide based G.W. Cox trustingly sent Harry home with three trays of different engagement rings to make their final selection.

Following the Tobruk and El Alamein campaigns, losing his best mate, appendicitis and being thrown from a truck, Harry survived to briefly return home and marry Audrey. Within weeks he was again back in training in Queensland prior to a posting in Papua New Guinea and later, as part of the 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion to Tarakan and Balikpapan. At the cessation of hostilities, as troops dribbled home mostly unannounced, Harry, then a Lieutenant, caught a bus home from Adelaide. His surprised mother’s first reaction was to ask what he was doing home!

For the first time, Harry was able to meet his new five-week-old son and to return to his ‘normal’ printing job within a month. Their Renmark Community held a huge function to welcome home the servicemen who had returned. The young family settled together, being the first family to purchase a newly built SA Housing Trust Home in Renmark in 1946. Apart from a few years working with the Bendigo Advertiser learning how a rotary printing press operated, Harry then brought this new skill back home to the Murray Pioneer and to live continuously in Renmark. Harry’s working career in the newspaper spanned 46 years as he followed in the footsteps of his own father and brothers. A third generation, Harry’s youngest son devoted 45 years as well to the newspaper.

In retirement, Harry enjoyed a Saturday morning flutter on the pokies at the Renmark Hotel and, not surprisingly as he was a respected spin bowler in the local competition, following International cricket with one ear pressed to his transistor radio. Harry retained a love of war history and had a clear memory of his experiences as a Rat of Tobruk which became well documented. His beloved Audrey died in 1997 but Harry learned to live independently at home while continuing to attend Anzac services in honour of the many who did not have the fortune to return home as he had done. With declining mobility, Harry eventually accepted domiciliary care. In January 2019, he entered St Catherine’s Aged Care facility in Berri.

Harry died on the 12th September 2019, survived by three children, six grandchildren and 12 much loved great grandchildren. In a fine acknowledgement of Harry’s outstanding service, the Renmark RSL flew the Australian flag at half-mast at the Renmark Cenotaph the day of his death. In that same year, prior to his death, the local Renmark RSL officially feted Harry as a ‘living treasure’. His remains are now in the Renmark Cemetery.

The South Australian Advertiser and Murray Pioneer reported on an incident in which Harry Lock was involved:
Murray Pioneer (Renmark, SA: 1942 - 1950), Thursday 18 March 1943, page 1 RIVER SOLDIERS PROMINENT IN DESERT ACTION WHEN PTE. PERCY GRATWICK WINS V.C. Several soldiers of the River districts, including Sgt. Alf Meyer (who also lost his life in the battle) and Sgt. Harry Lock, both of Renmark, were prominent in the action in which Pte. Percy Gratwick of Western Australia showed outstanding bravery and won the VC. This was the battle of El Alamein at the end of last October. Referring to the outstanding work of the 2/48th Battalion on this occasion Kenneth Sleseor (Official War Correspondent) has written as follows: —Within one week, in the last great battle of El Alamein, two men of the 2/48th Battalion won the Victoria. Cross. Sgt. Bill Kibby, VC, and Pte. Percy Gratwick, VC, lie under the sand in soldiers’ graves today. Australia is far away over the rim of the world, and no one comes near the wooden crosses painted with their names except the wandering Bedouin and the little lizards of the desert.

But their battalion is rich in its pride and in its memories. They will never be forgotten. From the stories of their mates, those reluctant-tongued soldiers who fixed bayonets with them in the great offensive which drove Rommel from Egypt, come portraits of these two men in action which no other source could furnish.

Almost at once there were two more casualties. Meyer was killed by a burst similar to that which got Taggart. Algy Walker, from Norwood, South Australia, continued the story at this point. "Not many of us were left," he said "I remember Percy Gratwick, Harry Lock Bart Lindsey, Rob Wandenberg, from Murray Bridge; Ike Dansye and Frank here, and a few others. That machine-gun post in front had us pinned to earth, and we couldn't move. If they'd started with their mortars it would have been the end of us. Every move we made on that slope could be seen from below. Then suddenly without saying a word, Gratwick takes out a grenade, climbs on his feet and gallops forward, holding his rifle in his left hand. It was so crazy, and he was so quick, that the Jerries didn't realise what was happening. Some of them never did. Percy gave them the grenade, dropped down on one knee, got out another, and let fly with that. Next instant he had scrambled forward and dropped into their pit. An-other Jerry about 20 yards further down the slope was trying to finish him off with a tommy-gun. There were two other Germans in another post with a mortar between them. Percy must have seen there at the same time as we did, but apparently had no more grenades. We ducked and next time we looked Percy was up on his feet, charging with fixed bayonet and the Jerry was still trying to spray him with his tommy-gun. It was all over in a few seconds. Percy only had 20 yards to go, and you don't miss much with a tommy gun at that distance. But we saw him make it, and then he disappeared, but he got the Jerry first. We didn't hear that tommy-gun again, nor the mortar." Put of the official citation states, "His great gallantry and unselfish bravery so unnerved the enemy that it allowed his platoon and company to move forward to the final objective, mopping up with great effect and capturing many prisoners." His comrades say that it was Gratwick's first time in action. He joined the battalion while it was defending Tobruk, but only towards the end, when most of the fireworks were over.

Percy Eric Gratwick, 40 years old, from Port Hedland, Western Australia, was one of the quietest privates in the battalion. "Percy just climbed up and did it without waiting for orders from anyone", said Cpl. Frank Dillon, from Naracoorte, South Australia, who was fighting in the same section. "If he hadn't done it we'd all have been wiped out. He was always a good soldier, but quiet. Yet underneath his quiet he had a mind to see things through—anything through."

The attack had been in progress for about 48 hours when, on the night of October 25-26 the battalion was ordered to capture Trig 29, south-west of Tel el Isa, on Ruin Ridge. A Company got the job, and in the final phase Percy Gratwick was out in front on his own. Already on their way, and 800 yards from the starting line, they came to a rise. On the other side, a little to the south, was their objective. But once over this rise they were barred by a strongpost on slopes below from which Spandau machineguns and mortars swept all the high ground above. This strongpost had to be eliminated before Trig 29 could be reached. No. 7 platoon with 20 men under lit. Colin Taggart, was given the job. They set off in three sections, Cpl. Bart Lindsay, from South Australia, in charge of number one, on the left, Cpl. Mick Cleave, from the West Coast of South Australia, in charge of number two, on the right, Taggart between the two sections leading with Sgt. Alf Meyer, from Renmark, just behind, and Sgt. Harry Lock also from Renmark, bringing up the rear, in charge of number three section.
"The moment we crossed the skyline we got belted with everything — mortars, Spandaus and later on, grenades," said Dillon. "Bill Perce, who comes from the same place as Lindsey, was one of the first to get hit. We reached the point where we had to swing south and there Taggart was killed by a burst from a machine-gun nest about 50 yards ahead. We could see other nest further forward down the slope. They seemed to be spread every-where. We went to ground in a hurry. Then Meyer took over the command. Lock brought his section forward, and we went on again.

Sgt. A. Meyer swing south and there Taggart was killed by a bunt from a machine-gun nest about 50 yards ahead. We could see other nests further forward down the slope. They seemed to be spread everywhere. We went to ground in a hurry. Then Meyer took over the command, I/>ck brought his section forward, and we went on again: Almost at once there were two more casualties. Meyer was killed by a burst similar "to that which got Taggart.

Algy "Walker, from Norwood, South Australia, continued the story at this point, "Not many of us were left," he said. "I remember Percy Gratwick, Harry ~ Lock, Bart Lindsey, Rob Wundenberg, from Murray Bridge'; Ike Dansye and Frank, here, and a few others. That machine-gun post in front had us pinned to earth, and we couldn't move. If they'd started with their mortars it would have been the end of us. Every move we made on that elope could be seen from below.

Then suddenly, without saying a word, Gratwick takes out a grenade, climbs on his feet and gallops forward, holding' his rifle in his left hand. It was so crazy, and he was so quick, that the Jerries didn't realize what was happening. Some of them never did. Percy gave them the grenade, dropped down on one knee, got out another, and let fly with that. Next instant he had scrambled forward and dropped into their pit. Another Jerry about 20 yards further down the slope was trying to finish him off with a tommygun. There were two other Germans in another post with a mortar between them. Percy must have seen them at the same time as we did, but apparently had no more grenades. We ducked, and next time we looked Percy was upon his feet, charging with fixed bayonet—and the Jerry was still trying to spray him with his tommy gun. It was all over in a few seconds. Percy only had 20 yards to go, and you don't miss much with a Tommy gun at that distance. But we saw him make it, and then he disappeared. But he got the Jerry first. We didn't hear that tommy-gun again, nor the mortar."

Part of the official citation states. "His great gallantry and unselfish bravery so unnerved the enemy, that it allowed his platoon and company to move forward to the final objective, mopping up with great effect and capturing many prisoners."

His comrades say that it was Gratwick's first time in action. He joined the battalion while it was defending Tobruk, but only towards the end, when most of the fireworks were over.

Before the war this quiet-mannered man spent most of his time working on stations and occasionally prospecting for gold. He knew the northern parts of Western Australia like a book, and most of the people in the northern parts of that State knew him—a quiet man, with a mind to see things through.

HARRY Lock boarded the Stratheden on November 17, 1940, headed for the Middle East. He was destined to become one of the Rats of Tobruk.

He was the seventh child of Ethelwynne and Jack Lock and attended Renmark Primary School. At 15, he began work at the local newspaper, The Murray Pioneer, following in his father’s footsteps.

Harry also became the projectionist at Renmark’s Capitol Theatre from 1936-1939 .

Audrey Tape worked at Rudd’s Cafe, in Berri, and Harry would often ride the 18km for a milkshake and a chat with her.

In June 1940, he and his mates enlisted. On November 4, Audrey and Harry were engaged . In Adelaide, G.W. Cox jewellers sent them home with three trays of engagement rings to make their selection.

In the Middle East, Harry was in action with the 2/48 Battalion in Palestine, Egypt, Durna and the Libyan desert before the Siege of Tobruk. He spent 7½ months in the trenches as the Rats steadfastly resisted German advances.

The tragedy of war struck home when Harry’s best mate, Allan Porter, was killed instantly right next to him by German tank machinegun fire. Harry was able to reach over and retrieve Allan’s wallet. “It happened at about six o’clock in the evening … and I bawled my eyes out all night,” he recalled many years later.

Harry kept the wallet with him but it was to be more than 50 years before he was able to locate Allan’s younger brother, Merv, and hand over the wallet. They became firm friends.

Harry survived Tobruk – his biggest mishaps were appendicitis in Syria and being thrown off his truck when it hit a crater on the way to the next battle, El Alamein.

At El Alamein, Harry, now a sergeant, led one of the three sections ordered to attack three “strong posts” of German soldiers during the famous assault for Trig 29.

His was the last section, and at first they did no better than the first two, forced to ground under devastating fire.

That was when Private Percy Gratwick suddenly raced forward and single-handedly took out two posts, the first with grenades and the second with a bayonet charge. In inflicting further casualties he was killed by machinegun fire. He earned a posthumous Victoria Cross.

The company was able to move forward and capture many prisoners. But 15 of 7th Platoon’s 22 men were killed or wounded that day.

Back in Adelaide Harry married Audrey and underwent jungle training, being commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1944. He served at Tarakan and Balikpapan and learned the war was over while in Borneo.

Back in Adelaide, he caught the bus home to Renmark to be greeted by his mother, who said: “What are you doing here?” He was introduced to his five-month-old son, E’en , and within a month was back working as a compositor at The Murray Pioneer. Elaine was born in 1948, followed by Barry.

The family settled in Renmark except for several years in Bendigo when Harry was sent to work with the Bendigo Advertiser to learn how to operate rotary printing presses.

The Locks were a close-knit Renmark family. Many of them worked for The Murray Pioneer and they enjoyed their Friday night gatherings with Harry’s parents.

He retired in 1980 and liked his routine of Saturday mornings at the Renmark Hotel, playing the pokies, and following sport with one ear pressed to his transistor radio.

Audrey died in 1997 and Harry learned to live independently . When his mobility declined he was helped by domiciliary care.

He had a good memory, a keen interest in history, and was often being interviewed for recollections of his war years. He was celebrated as a “living treasure” by the Renmark RSL.

Harry attended Anzac Day ceremonies each year and could recall the scorching days and freezing nights he spent sheltering from relentless bombings and gunfire at Tobruk .

“It’s the determination, it’s the defiance; that’s the story of the Rats of Tobruk, and I think that’s why that siege and that story has a power,” he said.

Harry is survived by his three children, six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren

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