Roy Arthur Harman (1919 - 1942)

Born 12 Jan 1919 in Smithton, Tasmania, Australia

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 23 in At Sea

Roy Harman was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Roy Harman died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Biography

Roy was born in Smithton, Tasmania in 1919.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service on 10 Jul 1940 at the Town Hall, Melbourne, Victoria as a Private (VX36997). At the time he was a single labourer living in Burnley, Victoria with his parents.

Roy had previously served in the Militia as a Corporal (32540) in the Army Service Corps.

On 28 Sep 1940 he married Stella Mary Lacey in Victoria. A son, Frederick Charles was born in April 1941.

On 19 Apr 1941 he was graded as a Group II Cook. He was transferred to No. 1 Independent Coy on 10 May 1941 and was appointed A/Cpl on 09 Jun 1941. He disembarked at Kavieng on the island of New Ireland in the Territory of New Guinea on 24 Jul 1941 from HMAT "Zealandia".

When the Japanese invaded New Ireland on 23 Jan 1942 he was probably with the bulk of the Coy who escaped overland to Kaut on the south coast and boarded the "Induna Star" on 29 Jan 1942 before making their way along the coast of New Ireland heading to Rabaul. When they learned that Rabaul had fallen and hearing that the Japanese had landed to the east of them (false) the ship sailed south. It was spotted by a Japanese aircraft, bombed and taken under tow by a Japanese destroyer on 02 Feb 1942 and entered Rabaul on 03 Feb 1942 where he became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul.

He died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Philippines on 01 Jul 1942, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forced labour.

Sources

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - HARMAN ROY ARTHUR : Service Number - VX36997 : Date of birth - 12 Jan 1919 : Place of birth - SMITHTON TAS : Place of enlistment - ROYAL PARK VIC : Next of Kin - HARMAN STELLA - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6126634

• Marriage - Victoria BDM Marriage index - Event: marriages; Registration number: 14077 / 1940; Family name: HARMAN; Given name(s): Roy Arth; Personal detail Spouse's family name: LACEY; Spouse's given name(s): Stella Mary

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1705611

• Deaths on Active Service - Family Notices (1945, October 8). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved December 6, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205643755

• ILL-FATED UNIT. (1945, October 31). Circular Head Chronicle (Stanley, Tas. : 1906 - 1954), p. 3. Retrieved December 6, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article163452882