John Roby Harrison (1916 - 1946)

Ancestors

Contents 1 Biography 2 Burial 3 Sources 4 See Also

Biography

Lieutenant (A) John Roby Harrison 1916 - 1946 : NZ4172 Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve, Fleet Air Arm.

John Roby Harrison was born in Chorley, Lancashire in 1916. He left England on the 21st January 1922, emigrating to New Zealand as a six year old with his father, Newton Harrison, mother Emily and sister Marion in the steamship Orvieto. ^[1] The family went to live in Huntly, where Johnny attended the local Primary and Secondary schools. He was a successful athlete at school, winning several championships in the 100 yard sprinting events.

Shortly after finishing High School, the family moved to Auckland, making their home at no: 3 Hemi Street, Devonport. Johnny went to work for the Ports of Auckland in the accounting department, later leaving to study at the University of Auckland for a Bachelor of Arts degree and become a school teacher. Keeping up his interest in sport, he represented the university in athletics. Completing his B.A. and teacher training, he taught Standard 5 pupils at Devonport School in 1940, as a Probationary Assistant.

With World War II in progress, Johnny joined the Naval Volunteer Reserve. His initial training was at the Naval training base, HMNZ Tamaki on Motuihe Island in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf. ^[2] He, with other trainee sailors, then embarked on the P&O liner Strathallan bound for Glasgow and the UK. ^[3] He was selected for flying duties and underwent several months of training at the Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus) in England ^[4] before being sent to Canada for further training. ^[5]

Final training was in Perthshire, Scotland where Johnny Harrison learned to fly the small bi-planes, the Fairey Swordfish, designed to launch and land from an Aircraft Carrier. ^[6] Training completed, Johnny was posted on convoy escort duty to the Aircraft Carrier Striker then at port in Glasgow. ^[7]

"Alone I did it" John Harrison climbing from the cockpit after fluffing a landing and finishing up to starboard on the deck of HMS Striker

HMS Striker escorted allied convoys carrying vital supplies and troops in the Bay of Biscay and the North Sea, the little Fairy Swordfish torpedo bombers flying from the ship on U-Boat reconnaissance patrols to protect the fleet.

Exhausted, unaware that he was developing lymphoma, Johnny Harrison's health deteriorated and after some time in hospital in the U.K. he was invalided home to New Zealand in December 1944. He died in Devonport on 8th August 1946 aged 30 years.

Burial

Kimihia Public Cemetery, Huntly, Waikato, New Zealand

Area NE Row 2 Plot 107

Sources

1. ↑ Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960 (SS.Orvieto 1922) [1]
2. ↑ HMNZS Tamaki on Motuihe Island [2]
3. ↑ The Old Peninsula and Oriental Steam Navigation Company : Strathallan [3]
4. ↑ RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus) [4]
5. ↑ British Commonwealth Air Training Plan [5]
6. ↑ Fairey Swordfish [6]
7. ↑ A History of HMS Striker [7]

• Biographical information provided by Glenis Roberts
• BIRTH "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," 3rd quarter Vol: 8E Page: 687 Line: 96 database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2FTX-VLV : 1 October 2014), John R Harrison, 1916 (mother : Roby) from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Chorley, Lancashire, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.
• EMIGRATION - Master J. Harrison aged 5 listed in the Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960 (SS.Orvieto 1922) [8]
• Torpedo Bay Navy Museum : HMNZS Tamaki on Motuihe Island [9]
• The Old Peninsula and Oriental Steam Navigation Company : Strathallan [10]
• RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus) [11]
• British Commonwealth Air Training Plan [12]
• Fairey Swordfish [13]
• Fly Navy - A History of HMS Striker [14]
• N.Z. DEATHS - 1946/33826 - Harrison John Roby aged 30 years
• Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph [15]

See Also

• New Zealanders in the Fleet Air Arm [16]
• YouTube video - Fairey Swordfish MkII [17]