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Rifleman Thomas Alexander Harrison
Description
TitleRifleman Thomas Alexander HarrisonAlternative NameMickSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionThomas, known as Mick, was born at Totara Flats on 6th June 1894, eldest son of Joseph and Elizabeth Harrison. Before enlisting Thomas was working as a shepherd for himself at Glentunnel. He had previous military experience having served with the 2nd South Canterbury Infantry Regiment. He was 5ft 3in tall with medium complexion, light blue eyes and brown hair.
Mick enlisted at Darfield on 13th October 1916 and was assigned to the 22nd Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Regiment. He embarked on 16th February 1917 aboard the Navua and arrived in England and Sling Camp on 26th April 1917. Exactly a month later on 26 May he left for France and marched into Base Camp at Etaples two days later. He joined the 1st Battalion Canterbury Regiment in the field on 19th June 1917. He fought with them throughout the Messines battles and was killed in action, 12 October 1917, aged 23, during the disastrous action at Passchendaele. It was only a day short of one year since he had enlisted. He was first declared missing and a court of enquiry was held 13 April 1918 which found that, as no word had been received, he was killed in action that day, His body must have been found later and identified for he is buried in the Poelcapelle British Cemetery (grave IV F28) Belgium. In New Zealand Thomas is remembered on the Malvern County and South Malvern War Memorials and the South Malvern Roll of Honour.
Poelcapelle British Cemetery is located 10 Kms north-east of Ieper town centre on the Brugseweg (N313), a road connecting Ieper to Brugge. Historical Information: Poelcapelle (now Poelkapelle) was taken by the Germans from the French on 20 October 1914, entered by the 11th Division on 4 October 1917, evacuated by Commonwealth forces in April 1918, and retaken by the Belgians on 28 September 1918. Poelcapelle British Cemetery was made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the surrounding battlefields The great majority of the graves date from the last five months of 1917, and in particular October, but certain plots (IA, VIA, VIIA, LI and LXI) contain many graves of 1914 and 1915. There are now 7,478 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in Peolcappelle British Cemetery. 6,231 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate 8 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate 24 servicemen buried by the Germans in other burial grounds in the area whose graves could not be located. There is also 1 burial of the Second World War within the cemetery. The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden. Among those buried in the cemetery is Private John Condon of the Royal Irish Regiment, who at 14 is thought to be the youngest battle casualty of the First World War commemorated by the Commission.First NameHarrisonLast NameThomas AlexanderFamilySingleEldest son of Joseph and Elizabeth HarrisonDate of Birth6 June 1894Place of BirthTotara Flats, West CoastDate of Death12 October 1917Place of DeathPasschendaele, FranceCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death23
Mick enlisted at Darfield on 13th October 1916 and was assigned to the 22nd Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Regiment. He embarked on 16th February 1917 aboard the Navua and arrived in England and Sling Camp on 26th April 1917. Exactly a month later on 26 May he left for France and marched into Base Camp at Etaples two days later. He joined the 1st Battalion Canterbury Regiment in the field on 19th June 1917. He fought with them throughout the Messines battles and was killed in action, 12 October 1917, aged 23, during the disastrous action at Passchendaele. It was only a day short of one year since he had enlisted. He was first declared missing and a court of enquiry was held 13 April 1918 which found that, as no word had been received, he was killed in action that day, His body must have been found later and identified for he is buried in the Poelcapelle British Cemetery (grave IV F28) Belgium. In New Zealand Thomas is remembered on the Malvern County and South Malvern War Memorials and the South Malvern Roll of Honour.
Poelcapelle British Cemetery is located 10 Kms north-east of Ieper town centre on the Brugseweg (N313), a road connecting Ieper to Brugge. Historical Information: Poelcapelle (now Poelkapelle) was taken by the Germans from the French on 20 October 1914, entered by the 11th Division on 4 October 1917, evacuated by Commonwealth forces in April 1918, and retaken by the Belgians on 28 September 1918. Poelcapelle British Cemetery was made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the surrounding battlefields The great majority of the graves date from the last five months of 1917, and in particular October, but certain plots (IA, VIA, VIIA, LI and LXI) contain many graves of 1914 and 1915. There are now 7,478 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in Peolcappelle British Cemetery. 6,231 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate 8 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate 24 servicemen buried by the Germans in other burial grounds in the area whose graves could not be located. There is also 1 burial of the Second World War within the cemetery. The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden. Among those buried in the cemetery is Private John Condon of the Royal Irish Regiment, who at 14 is thought to be the youngest battle casualty of the First World War commemorated by the Commission.First NameHarrisonLast NameThomas AlexanderFamilySingleEldest son of Joseph and Elizabeth HarrisonDate of Birth6 June 1894Place of BirthTotara Flats, West CoastDate of Death12 October 1917Place of DeathPasschendaele, FranceCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death23
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageMalvern War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryPoelcapelle British CemeterySouth Malvern War MemorialMalvern County War MemorialOccupation before EnlistingShepardRegiment or ServiceCanterbury Infantry Regiment Enlistment Details13th October 1916 at DarfieldService Number38281Embarkation16th February 1917 TransportNavuaReinforcement22nd ReinforcementsCountryNew Zealand
Attribution
Researched ByL. M. SeatonTaken FromPhoto: Weekly Press, 23 January 1918
Rifleman Thomas Alexander Harrison. Selwyn Stories, accessed 16/12/2025, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/292
