Australian Singles

Lot 2449    SESSION 16 (9.30AM FRIDAY 25TH NOV)    Australian Singles

Estimate $150
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $2,600

BRITISH WAR MEDAL 1914-18. Captain W.A.Harrison. A.I.F. Impressed. Toned extremely fine.

British War Medal is the only medal entitlement.

William Atkinson Harrison, medical practitioner, age 57, born at Appleby, Westmoreland, England; Enl.01Mar1916 at Victoria; Appt as a Captain and Medical Officer for Transport Duty 09Mar1916, with previous service as Senior Medical Officer at Claremont Camp, Tasmania from Jun1915 to 29Feb1916 (Appt'd Honorary Captain 21Jun1915 in AAMC, 6 Military District); Emb.09Mar1916 on troopship A.13 Katuna; admitted to 3 Auxiliary Hospital, Cairo, Egypt 06May1916 with mild illness; Discharged to Duty 10May1916; RTA 21May1916 as Senior Medical Officer on troopship Armadale arriving 25Jun1916; Appt terminated 03Jul1916; Died 12Jul1940.

The following obituary was published in the Examiner, Launceston, Tasmania on Saturday 13 July 1940, page 6.

'DR. W. A. HARRISON, BURNIE
After having been in failing health for some years Dr. William Atkinson Harrison died at his home "Breckenborough," Burnie, yesterday at the age of 81 years. Dr. Harrison was born at Banton Grange, Westmoreland, England, and graduated at the Edinburgh University with the degrees of M.B. and M.Ch. in 1880, and B.Sc. (public health) in 1883. He was the silver medallist of his year in midwifery. For a time he practised at Haslington, England, with his father, the late Dr. Edward Harrison, and also at Pontefract. Dr. Harrison then went to New Zealand, and later to Victoria, where he practised for about a year.

He then came to Tasmania as surgeon to the company constructing the Zeehan-Strahan railway line. He received a Government appointment at Perth, which kept him in West Australia for seven years. Among other positions which he occupied there, he was a magistrate and a protector of aboriginals on the goldfields. Dr. Harrison practised at Queenstown for some years, and on his return to Tasmania went to St. Marys.

When the 1914-18 war broke out, he went first to Claremont camp and later to Ross and Meadows, then to Egypt and hospital ships. After the war Dr. Harrison was appointed to take charge of the Beechworth asylum, Victoria, and he occupied that position for some years. He returned again to Tasmania and took up residence at Burnie. He practised there for a time before accepting a position as city health officer to the Brisbane City Council. He then returned to Burnie, where he has lived ever since.

He is survived by his wife, who was Miss Reynolds, a daughter of Mr. Reynolds, the contractor for the Zeehan-Strahan railway. A short service will be held this morning at St. George's Church of England by the rector (Rev. F. J. McCabe), and the body will then be brought to Launceston, arriving at the Carr Villa Crematorium at 3 p.m.'

With copy of Service File.