The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Harrison
- First Name:
- Henry Ralph
- Nick Name:
- Harry
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX8733
- Company:
- Headquarters Company, No. 2 Platoon.
- Enlisted:
- 23.10.1940
- DOB:
- 18.02.1916
- Place of Birth:
- Perth, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Arthur Ellis
- Mothers's Name:
- Louisa Ellis (nee Harrison)
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Miner
- Memorial:
- Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Plot 1, Row P, Grave 34, Age 27.
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi, Johore Bahru, Adam Park, Selarang Barracks Changi
- Force:
- 'D' Force Thailand V Battalion
- POW#:
- 1/7963 & 2251
- Cause of Death:
- Malaria
- Place of Death:
- Kuii
- Date of Death:
- 15.09.1943
- Buried:
- Grave No. 163, Kuii
General Description
‘It is believed Harry and his brother Thomas were adopted and that they supported their parents who were both blind. Arthur’s blindness was caused as a result of service during WW1. ‘(we are not sure these details are correct – Thomas was in fact Harry’s father)
According to Henry’s Commonwealth War Grave, Kanchanaburi, Thailand his mother is Louisa Harrison of Norseman.
Harry’s last known address was Norseman where he was employed as a miner according to 1937 and 1943 Electoral Rolls.
Harry had the misfortune to be selected from Singapore with ‘D’ Force V Battalion which had one of the highest death rates on the Burma-Thai Railway.
He died at Kuii Camp on 15 September 1943 aged 27 years of malaria. At war’s end his body was interred and buried at Kanchanaburi. He is one of 91 men from 2/4th.
Read about ‘D’ Force V Battalion
We believe Arthur Ellis (as above) was stepfather to Henry Harrison. Henry’s father (Thomas George Harrison) died a young man (1921)and his mother Louisa Harrison (nee Rowe) remarried to Arthur Ellis at Norseman in 1926.
Both Louisa and Arthur Ellis died in 1951. Louisa died first in May 1951 at Norseman aged 70 years. Arthur died in Sep 1951 at Shenton Park aged 80 years. He was buried at Karrakatta.
Plaque at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Plot 1, Row P, Grave 34,
Camp Locations:
- Johore Bahru, - Malaysia
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Kuii, Kui Yae, 185.6k - Thailand
