Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Harold Proctor was born on the 6th of May, 1890 in Norwood, Adelaide. He studied dentistry for 4 years as an apprentice and eventually became a dentist surgeon, before joining the war. He was the child of George and Isabella Proctor and was married to Emily Adeline Proctor. He lived with Emily on East Parade, North Kensington South Australia when he joined the war. He did not have any previous military training.

In 1915 he enlisted in the army at Casula, New South Wales on the 10th of December, he was only 25 years old. Harold Roy Proctor set sail on the HMAT Ulysses A38 from Sydney on the 20th of February, 1916. He like many others on that ship were involved in the Mining corps. The Ulysses was stranded once it was damaged off Perth. Amongst the others, he was stationed at the Blackboy Hill Camp for about a month. He boarded the HMS Ausonia and headed to the western front. The HMS Ausonia was a British passenger ship bought from the Thompson Line. Unfortunately, towards the end of the war the ship was torpedoed and was sunk by gunfire, killing 44 men during the attack.

Throughout the war, Harold Proctor was a sapper which involved placing and removing mines. His occupation was very common throughout the Mining Corps. Harold stayed with the Mining Corps until 18th of December 1916 and was then moved into the 3rd Tunnelling company. From December to February in 1917, he was also involved in the Volunteer Defence Corps and later returned to the tunnelling company.

Harold Proctor returned to the Mining corps after he was sick on the HMS Ausonia on the 3rd of April, 1916. On the 5th of May, he was admitted to the 2nd Sea Hospital on the HMS Ausonia, he was later moved to the Australian General Hospital, and then transferred to the 2nd General Hospital on the 23rd of May and was released from hospital two months later, on the 3rd of July. While he was still sick he was discharged to the Australian base of Etaples. On the 8th of August, he was transferred to 3rd Tunnelling Company and on the 11th of September,1917, he was sent to the hospital sick. On March, 19th he was given the rank of second corporal and proceeded in the acting role of a sergeant.  The next day he was admitted to the 58th casualty clearing station and later that day was admitted to the Volunteer Defence Corps. He was promoted and became a sergeant. He later returned his old unit and was discharged from the Volunteer Defence Corps. He left to return to Australia on the HMAT Runic on the 27th of April, 1919.

Finally, Proctor returned to Australia on the 8th of the June, 1919 on the HMAT A54 Runic. He stayed until 1919 because his profession as a sapper involved the interaction with mines, which helped disarm and remove bombs that remained in the occupied territories. He returned to Australia on the HMAT Runic and lived to the age of 47 being buried at the Waverly Cemetery, New South Wales. For his efforts during the first world war he received several medals including: The Star Medal, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.