HARRISON, Martin John

Martin John Harrison was given the number 6, when he enlisted to go to war in 1915. He was a postman by occupation,  born in Dean, Victoria, a small town 12o kilometres west of Melbourne, near the Ballarat-Daylesford Rd. His parents, Martin Harrison and Rosina Catherine Harrison, were both dead, his father in 1894 and hsi mother in 1886, only two years after he was born. In 1903, he was working as a 'letter carrier', or postman, and living at 65 Pelham St., Carlton, but by 1912, he was living with his only sibling, his brother Thomas, a driver,  at 195 Powlett St.,  East Melbourne, the address he returned to after the war. When he enlisted he gave Thomas as his next of kin. Post-war, Martin and Thomas continued to live at 195 Powlett St, until Martin's marriage in 1923. Physically, Martin Harrison was a small man, only 5'4", with black hair and grey eyes. 

Martin Harrison embarked from Melbourne, Australia, on 10 November, 1915 and once in Egypt was immediately placed in the 8th Infantry Brigade, first formed in 1912, before being re-raised in early 1916 for service during World War 1. As part of the 5th Division, the Brigade went first to Egypt and was formed from unassigned personnel that arrived in Egypt as reinforcements following the Gallipoli Campaign. on to France, where it fought in numerous battles along the Western Front. On 20 January, 1916, he was made Lance-Corporal. On 8 March, he was taken on strength with the Australian Postal Corps, detached on duty to Brigade Headquarters and on 23 March, as the troops prpeared to leave for the Western Front in France,  was attached as a Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of the Brigade Field Post Office. On 26 March, he was Taken On Strength with the 8th Infantry Battalion

Before moving to France, the troops underwent further training in Engalnd, before moving to France. Here Martin Harrison was made Corporal (substantive) and on 2 December, Sergeant, attached to the 14th Infantry Brigade. In Francew, he ceased to be attached to the 14th Infantry, and was returned to duty with the Postal Corps, serving in the  2nd Australia Field Post Office. He was still in France in 1918, and put on detachment to the 4th Australian Division Train Field Post Office, remaining in this position until the end of the war.

On 4 July, 1919, he was serving as a Sergeant at the 1st Australian Division Headquarters at Bulford. bOn 22 September, 1919, he seems to have been in England still, but was discharged form further duty on 23 january 1920. Where he was at this time is not in his record. He received the 1914-15 Star, the Vistory Medal and the British War Medal.

In 1923, he married Catherine Anne Caffee in Melbourne. They lived at 5 Park St., Northcote from 1923, Martin as a Postal Employee, Catherine, home duties. From 1949 - 1954, he was still at Park St, but living with  Mary Teresa, a typist and probably his daughter. He died at Northcote on 10 July, 1965.