Help: Court Martialled & Missing in UK, Capt: Albert Edward Harrison AIF

[Craven-Harrison]

G'day, JDS1949,

You said: 

"if your man was intent on disappearing it would make far more sense to re-enlist as a rank and file soldier"

you are absolutely right it would be far simpler to be a soldier, there were dozens of A and AE Harrison soldiers, so just by name alone you could disappear amongst the mob anonymously. The previous post here regarding the Commission documents will I believe confirm that he joined the British Army as an T2Lt Officer. The next question will be wether it was for survival, money of to "redeem his honour"and maybe return to OZ, but after a year or two I seriously doubt it

You said:

"then re-enlisting as an officer, under his own name, would start to make a lot more sense"


Again I agree with you again, everything points to him Joining the British Military but the on-line records don't confirm this at this stage. Each AE Harrison Officer who I have checked out to date is not my man. Now I am still going through numerous options, but all the found AE Harrison and A Harrison Officers have proven to be someone else by comparing the numerous aspects of the real AEH against the details of the potential candidates from MIC's and records

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I sent off a request for information regarding Officers who joined late in the War into the Permanent British Army. These records are not kept amongst the normal archives. The Permanent Army staff joined for 12 years and went on after the war, so, I understand that if they were in the Military after 1920 their records could be elsewhere and also not mentioned in the on-line indexes which would explain many things

Cheers


Ian

[Craven-Harrison]

Dear Trillium62, Carol

You said: 

"Is there any possibility that he went to Canada or the United States after the war? "


Yes absolutely and this also would explain lots of things,

I have checked all the US, Canadian and British A E Harrison BDM's created all sorts of sophisticated matrix's for selection of suitable candidates regarding age of death against birth date etc etc, but using the example of the British Death Certificates there is no place of birth described so if Australia was his birth-land you'd never find out via the death Certificate. The Australian Certificate shows your place of birth, so it's easy to establishing Country of origin.

The only way to find this fellow is to track each lead until it's exhausted and the only lead we have is that he joined the British Permanent Army between September 1917 and October 1919 based on the letter Nora received regarding the  Form Of Commission from Base records Victoria Barricks in Melbourne Australia, this can be seen on his records, the link is on the previous post -2

But Yes, I agree to disappear the US or Canada would have been really good, but so was Western Australia and the Northern Territory great places to disappear in those days, "even now is pretty good"

Hope this helps

Ian

[Redroger]

Regarding the ease of an enlisted man disappearing compared to the disappearance of an officer is I think probably unlikely , on account of his likely age compared to the other enlisted men, plus he would almost certainly have had an Australian accent which would make him stand out. Though he was obviously very street wise there would be times when as an enlisted man his previous career as an officer would show through, and cause questions to be asked at best.Records of service for officers for officers in the service after 1920 are still with the MOD, no doubt someone on this site will be kind enough to provide the link. I believe you have to be next of kin to get sight of them.

[Craven-Harrison]

Redroger,

You said:

"Though I doubt it, I think it should be checked for the sake of completeness. If all otherwise OK intend visiting the National Archive next week. Will keep you posted."

our combined doubts amount to many, many!!! one of the reasons that I have opened this problem publically is that I have lost the plot "I can't see the woods for the trees" I need some alternate ideas and you all are getting me to start thinking of alternate ideas and to focus on new and my old research in different ways

I'd be thrilled if you get to the Archives and if you find something that would be amazing, I'd love to come with you, but I'm a bit far away

good hunting

Ian

[Craven-Harrison]

Redroger,


Yep, I see your point regarding accent, although he probably didn't care about British Soldiers picking he was an Aussie, as long as the Aussies didn't come and get him and take him back home......... I guess!?

Yep I'm Ok about the MOD and its contact info, I've sent off an enquiry this week, it's my second but this time I'm more prepared with information and I have a specially prepared Stat-Deck, which is adequate for my circumstances and a covering letter from his descendants also


Cheers

ian

[Redroger]

Redroger

I'd be thrilled if you get to the Archives and if you find something that would be amazing, I'd love to come with you, but I'm a bit far away

I know that feeling Ian, the brother of my great grandfather was transported to NSW in 1833 for highway robbery, don't take fright the family has since reformed apart from one who was murdered by his wife, too recently to be on here unfortunately, it's a fascinating case, I was lucky with the ancestor in that my nephew went to Sydney archive a few years ago while visiting his wife's sister, and was able to clandestinely photograph the entire file, so I got over the distance factor in that case. I have a similar though older brick wall regarding the parents of my 2XGGFwho I think was beamed in from the Klingon empire c1776, in
 that case a scavenger hunt helped but did not resolve the problem, suggest you might do similar if this thread fails.

[Craven-Harrison]

Carole,

herwith a respones from the Albert's family, based on your amazing discoveries and a couple of questions that I asked them are answered here also.


"Re Syd's death, I have Not accessed the N.S.W. Coroners records to date but will attempt to do so.

I think Sydney lived with Nora "on and off"after his return from the War.both in Katoomba and after 1932 at Randwick.Nora never lived at Darlinghurst as far as I know

I must have missed something/somewhere because I was not aware  that Sydney went missing in 1931 or that he had a gold watch stolen.

Where did this info come from???

However I do know where the money might have come from viz.
  His eldest brother Richard  died in Feb 1932 and Sydney received a 1/8th. share of the estate as follows:
  
  Sept 1932 1770 Pounds
   Apl.  1933  153 Pounds
   Aug.  1933 123 Pounds....dated are approx.

  I guess it is also possible that the gold watch was also Richards.

 Sydney's Will....I have not researched this.

  About the D.V.A. I did not visit them but I did write to them without any success.

  The file you are referring to was at the National Archives and it was empty.Again you referred this to the D.V.A.without any positive response.They proved to be a dead end

I do have some infomation in a Solicitors letter sent to My Dad in June 1933 that Sydney was attempting to purchase the Goodwill and furniture in flats in Darlinghurst the letter states...." we did not like the transaction neither the neighbourhood nor the woman who was evidently going to look after the flats nor anything in connection with it and we told Mr. Blamey that we could not countenance him entering into such a deal and that we could not act for him in this matter and he went away saying that,although we would not act for him in this matter we were still his Solicitors
 Apparently at this time the Solicitors were still holding 113Pounds in Trust for Sydney.

 He was obviously having a tough time .

 The note also says "There is no need to let your mother know about him.I have written to you privately as I think the matter is hardly an official one"

 Obviously there were several people who were trying their best to help/protect poor Sydney

Hope you find some of this of value"""

Carole, could you drop me the links for the newspapers articles tou have found please, if its not too much trouble

Thanks  

Ian                    

[Redroger]

Ian, Just to help me in my search when I go to the archive please, though I have looked through the posts I cannot find the name of the Major General who you believe gave AEH the reference to enable him to join the British Army. I suspect he may well have enlisted AEH in his own or an associated unit.
Roger

[Craven-Harrison]

Redroger,

http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=12017141&I=1&SE=0

above is his GCM documents page 46/68 will give you the actual reference document , his name is William Holmes Major General

Its just possible that Albert used this reference for his entry to the UK Military, but not sure as we don't have the Commission documents. It's only a copy, signed by a Major, I'm guessing that Albert wanted the original for his future purposes, which might be as we believe entry into the UK Military....!

Note: the original was returned to the accused at his request ,see NAA page 16 (or page 11 actual)

Ian