Researching the story of Dr Thomas Harrison is complicated in its earlier years by the existence of another docitor of the same name. He practised in Eltham, dying in 1913 of septicemia after operating on a child for "acute abcesses on the neck." He pricked his thumb with a pin while fastening the bandages and, despite the amputation of the affected arm, died.
The Dr Harrison buried at Dunedin first reliably shows at about that time, practising in Palmerston. As a doctor in a rural town, his cases were nothing extraordinary - a farmer suicide, accidental death by poison in a serving of rice custard - the usual.
The coming of the Great war in 1914 produced a need for doctors to join the forces and Thomas Harrison heeded that call.
GOING TO THE FRONT
Dr T. Harrison, of Palmerston, left that place by the second express yesterday, en route for Trentham, having offered his services for the front as a member of the New Zealand Medical Staff. During his residence in Polmerston Dr Harrison has earned great popularity, and this was evidenced by the send-off accorded to him. On Saturday night he was entertained at a smoke concert, when speeches of a highly complimentary nature were made, and Dr Harrison was the recipient of a gold watch, a set of pipes, and a silver cigarette case, while a gold bangle was presented to Mrs Harrison. These tokens of goodwill were supplemented yesterday by the present of a rug from the Ambulance Brigade, and an auto-safety razor from the ladies, these presentations being made by the Mayor (Mr S. L. Beck), on behalf of the donors. There was a large gathering at the station to eee Dr Harrison off, and hearty cheers were given us the train moved away. Dr Harrison is a son of Mr T. O. Harrison, of St. Kilda, and is an Otago boy. -Otago Daily Times, 1/6/1915.
The good doctor was missed as much on the rugby field as in his Palmerston surgery.
FOOTBALL.
RUGBY.
Referring to Otago footballers who have been injured in the severe fighting at thd Dardanelles the name of Private McQueen appears in the list. It flashed through my mind at the time that this might possibly refer to the Otago University front ranker of last season, and a ’Varsity man in the press box at Carisbrook on Saturday advised me that the McQueen was in truth the old Royal Blue hooker. It is indeed a singular coincidence that the two ’Varsity front rankers of last season, Nisbet and McQueen, should have been wounded practically in the same forward rush on the Turkish lines. Yet, perhaps not so singular when one considers that the two ’Varsity footballers were fighting side by side, and would be where the bullets were thickest and the fighting hottest. Another old ’Varsity player is off to join the Royal Blues already at the front and at the base hospital. This is Dr Tom Harrison, a well-known forward in his day, and an ex-Otago representative, who has left his practice at Palmerston in charge of a locum that he may assist in defence of Empire. Dr Harrison may not be allowed to kill a German or bayonet a Turk, but by binding up the wounds of our own New Zealanders who are Turkey-hunting he will be doing the nation equally good service. -Otago Witness, 2/6/1915.
Although Thomas Harrison was not able to shoot at the enemy, the enemy did its best to kill him...he was on board the troops ship Marquette, which carried both able and wounded New Zealand troops, when it was torpedoed in the Gulf of Salonika by a U-boat. As a troopship, it was a legitimate target and, as well as the stories of courage and sacrifice, there was criticism of the decision to put wounded aboard a ship not marked with the flag of the Red cross.
LOSS OF THE MARQUETTE
EN ROUTE TO SALONIKA.
BRAVERY OF OUR NURSES.
A DOCTOR'S GRAPHIC STORY.
"When the ship went down it was an awful sight. She rose up on her nose with her stem high in the air, and slowly dived. The next moment a huge bubbling where the fine steamer had been and men and women bobbing up and down in the water for 200 or 300 yards around among wreckage, and a constant calling out, shouting, and wailing. It was frightful!"
This is an excerpt from a graphic letter written at Colombo Hotel, Salonika, on October 27, to Mr T. C. Harrison, of St. Clair, by his son, Captain Dr Harrison, of Palmerston, but widely known in Dunedin as a great goal-kicker for the 'Varsity in his student days, who was on the trainport Marquette when she was torpedoed "within 30 miles fromn Salonika, off a point called Cape Kassandra."
''After many wonderful and horrifying experiences." writes Dr Harrison, "I am safe and sound in Greece. Perhaps you received my short note, from Alexandria, written on board the s.s. Marquette just before sailing. Well, she never reached port. We were torpedoed within three hours of our destination. We had 600 men and officers of the R.F.A. (Royal Field Artillery), the 1st Stationary Hospital (150 men and 36 nurses) on board, and we were a very happy company. The first three days we had lovely weather, and the accommodation and the meals were excellent. The Marquette was a splendid boat and very well fitted up. On the fourth day out the weather changed and became cold and showery, with the sea fairly rough. The danger of a submarine was, however, always before our eyes. A constant watch was maintained, armed men encircling the decks. And twice a dav we had boat drill. Everyone on board put on lifebelts at the alarm, and had to be at the stations allotted to them. I was put in charge of half of the nurses, and had to assist them in putting on their lifebelts. When the special boat for them came down to opposite the promenade deck I was to march them out, put them into the boat, and get in after them. Well, everything went along well for most of the way. Opposite the south of Greece, west of Crete, a destroyer met us and escorted us for a day and a half. We felt quite safe, and when the destroyer left us at 8 p.m. on Friday we all thought everything was all serene."
"On Saturday morning when the orderly brought tea to Captain Ferguson and myself, I asked him to look out and see if the destroyer had returned. He said it had not. Ferguson chaffed me on my anxiety. We went down to breakfast at eight o'clock, and oddly enough Ferguson and I had a return of everything — a double breakfast. It was the first time I had done anything of the sort, but it was evidently providential. Seated beside me at the meal was Captain Leahy, a Napier doctor, and he remarked to me that it was a much nicer morning than the day before to be torpedoed (the sea had gone down and was fairly smooth)."
THE TRACK OF DESTRUCTION.
"After breakfast we yarned in my cabin for a quarter of an hour. Then I filled my pipe and went up on to the boat deck. I had just got there when, looking over the side, I saw a track on the water coming towards the ship. I thought it was the track of a destroyer that had returned to convoy us, but I was very soon disillusioned. Almost at once the torpedo struck us forward on the starboard side at No. 2 hold, and immediately we felt the ship list to port."
ABSOLUTELY NO PANIC
I rushed down to mv station, found several nurses there, and started helping them on with their belts. They all arrived very shortly, and we got belts on every one of the 18 nurses. I had forgotten to put my own on, and one of the nurses (Miss Rogers) brought one to me, and said: 'You haven't one on yourself, captain.' She helped me on with it, and the brave little girl was one of those who were drowned. As soon as the belts were on the boat was alongside, and I marshalled them out on to the starboard side of the promenade deck. Their behaviour was magnificent. I never saw anything like it. Not the slightest trace of panic. Everyone of them showed a spirit that would not have shamed the bravest troops in the whole world."
AN UNFORTUNATE MISHAP.
"The boat was lying about 4ft below the rail and about 20 ft from the water. Ferguson arrived to help me, and we lifted the nurses over the rail and slid them down the side of the steamer into the boat. We got everyone in. Then Ferguson had to go to his post forward, md I called out to the men at the davits to lower away. They said the davits were blocked, and asked if they would cut the ropes. I said 'No, try and overcome the block.' They did so, and did the next worst thing. They let the rope go, and the stern end of the boat fell suddenly till the craft, full of nurses, was perpendicular. Three of them fell out and were carried away — one of them Miss Rogers. It was a heart-breaking sight . . . The front davit was blocked, but this was only for about half a minute, and the boat slid down to the water and righted itself. We had a big list to port by this time, and the steamer was shuddering. As I had to go with the nurses in the boat, which was being carried away by the current, I slid down a rope rapidly, jumped for the boat, and got into it. I skinned my hands pretty well to the bone, but did not feel it at the time. We pushed off, and had got about 40 yards from the stern of the steamer, surrounded by men on rafts, oars, lifebelts, and all sorts of supports, when the ship went down. It was an awful sight. . . .
NURSES' BOAT OVERTURNED.
"Well, our experiences on the boat were by no means finished. Just about when the Marquette went down, our small boat filled and overturned. We were then all struggling in the water, grabbing at floating bits of wreckage. I got an oar and helped to support two nurses on it. I then saw the rudder of our boat floating some 20 yards away. I swam to this and gave it to one of the nurses, and the other one and I hung on to the oar. We paddled about for almost 20 minutes, and then we saw the boat had righted itself and was floating, half-full of men who had climbed in. It seemed nearly full of water, but I thought it might float all right. I swam towards it, towing my nurse with men on the end of the oar. We climbed in somehow, and we then had about only six nurses with us. The others had floated away towards rafts and wreckage. Well, every quarter of an hour after this for the next two hours this boat turned turtle. Sometimes, we were right side up, then again keel up. The boat had a huge hole in the bottom, which we plugged with a sock, but it was no good. Only the weight of wood in the boat kept her afloat. When she was right side up the gunwale was, one foot under water, and we all were sitting up to our armpits in water. By every upset of the boat we lost two or three, and by 1 o'clock had only three nurses and 13 men, mostly R.F.A. soldiers. Captain Fraser-Hurst, N.Z.M.C, was with me. All the rest were Tommies. We had a great job keeping the nurses in the boat. About 1 o'clock we got a long piece of wood out at right angles to the boat on each side, and this kept us from capsizing, but it was very cold. I had my good uniform on fortunately, and it was warmer than drill, but I had taken off my boots in the water. Every now and again one of our passengers would become exhausted and drop off dead, and float about us for some time, supported bv his lifebelt, it was awful.
"SHIPS THAT PASS."
"We saw six steamers pass about five miles off during the day, and the worst experience of the lot was seeing the smoke of these steamers fading away into the distance.
THE NAVY TO THE RESCUE.
"About 2.30 p.m. two destroyers (French) and a British gunboat arrived in response to our wireless, which our operator had just managed to net off before the "Marquette" sank. They could not find us at first, as all the message they got was 'S.O.S. Marquette.' But they came up to us at full steam, and had their boats out long before they stopped, picking up those in the water. We were by this time scattered over about five or six miles of water, and it took some time picking them all up. We got picked up, too, the three nurses to H.M.S. Lynn about 4 p.m., and the rest of us to the French destroyer Tirailleur, a little after 5 p.m. We were nine hours in the water, sometimes struggling round the overturned boat and the rest of the time sitting perfectly still (for fear of capsizing again) up to our armpits in water.
"I had a huge drink of hot wine as soon as I stepped on the deck of the destroyer, out of an old jam tin, ragged round the edge, but I never tasted anything better. I was then taken down in the stokehold to get warm, and the first man I saw there was Ferguson. Our meeting was a warm one. He had been swimming about for three hours before getting alongside a raft. The destroyer sent off to shore for 30 men who had reached the beach in a boat. Then we went full steam, 30 knots, for Salonika, which we reached at 1 a.m., when we were transferred to the French hospital ship Canada. They fell over themselves to look after us. I had saved one of my pipes, and I asked the French padre for a pipeful of tobacco. It was good. We had 12 nurses with us, picked up from various rafts (rafts are infinitely better than boats in a wreck), and among them were Nurses Blackie and Beswick, and the matron also with a broken rib. She now has pneumonia, and is prettv bad.
ABOUT ONE HUNDRED LOST.
Every medical officer was saved, but 10 nurses were lost. The nine hours' exposure was very long. Altogether about 100 out of the 700 were lost, which, is very small considering everything.
OFF TO DUTY.
"We transferred from the Canada to the British transport Kentucky the next day for three days, and then we went ashore to an hotel, where we are now stationed. I leave to-morrow with four orderlies for a British camp about six miles away as their medical officer. We are all distributed except the colonel and two majors, who are at the Stationary Hospital. When this is finished we rejoin and start on as before. I am quite pleased to get out of Salonika. It is a very dirty town, filthy. It was in possession of the Turks until three years ago, and now is full of Germans, Turks, Greeks, English, and French.
Some of the nurses return to Alexandria. They are played out with their experiences, and small wonder!
A FEW IMPRESSIONS.
My first impression when we were struck was astonishment at the slight noise the torpedo made and the quick, sudden list of the steamer. The Germans did their work only too well. From 15 to 18 minutes after we were struck there wasn't a sign of the old Marquette. As I was getting the nurses into their boat from the deck the periscope of the submarine was plainly to be seen 300 yards off, and she watched through this evil eye for quite a long time. Some of the steamers that passed must have seen us, and I believe they paid no attention because they were afraid of the submarine.
"My most lasting impression is one of admiration for the nurses, the finest and bravest women I have ever seen or heard of. . . .
"I am fit as a fiddle, and rny hands are healing well. We expect plenty of work when the fighting becomes general in Bulgaria." -Evening Star, 14/12/1915.
ARRIVAL OF THE ULIMAROA
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO INVALIDED SOLDIERS ON BOARD.
IMPROVED BY THE VOYAGE (excerpt)
The Ulimaroa (Captain Wylie) arrived at Port Chalmers about 3p.m. ysterday from Suez, via Colombo and Albany. She left Suez on June 11, and had good weather all the way. The troopship had 178 soldiers on board, 132 being invalided back, the remaining number being composed of the ship's staff, non commissioned officers returning for commissions, etc. Most of the soldiers have been invalided through sickness, not many wounded men being on board.
MARQUETTE SURVIVORS.
The transport has brought back eight survivors of the hospital ship Marquette, which was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea. They comprise three men of the No. 1 Stationary Hospital, Captain Harrison (of Dunedin), Corpotal Henderson, and Private Gillette, and five men — Corporal Bottle, Privates Glover, Mclntosh, Mansey, and Robertson — who were attached to that institution discharging light duties. A reporter was given to understand that Corporal Henderson and Private Gillette were recommended for honours for rescue work performed by them. The latter had just been operated upon in the ship's hospital, and was being carried out when the vessel was struck. When spoken to about the disaster Corpoial Henderson was modesty personified. He was in the pantry of the vessel when she was struck. -Otago Daily Times, 17/7/1916.
Thomas Harrison returned to his Palmerston practise and was voted in to the position of President of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers' Association.
DR HARRISON’S DEATH
KILLED IN MOTOR ACCIDENT
CAR OVERTURNS NEAR QUEENSTOWN
Dr Thomas Harrison, well known in Dunedin, was killed last night in a motor accident near Queenstown. After a visit to Glenorchy Dr Harrison left Queenstown about 10.30 p.m. on the return journey to Cromwell, and, as he was driving along Eastern terrace, near Dr Anderson’s residence on the outskirts of Queenstown, his car struck a rut and went over the bank, fatally crushing him underneath. Born in Palmerston, the late Dr Harrison was educated at the local school and later at the Waitaki Boys’ High School. On leaving Waitaki he went to Otago University, where he took up the study of medicine. After graduating he went to the Old Country to complete his studies, and on his return to Dunedin he entered into practice. At the outbreak of war he left with the Main Body of the Expeditionary Force as an officer of the New Zealand Medical Corps, being a member of the company which was aboard the hospital transport Marquette when she was torpedoed in the Mediterranean Sea. Upon returning from the war Dr Harrison resumed his medical practice in Dunedin. About nine years ago, for the sake of his health, he went to Central Otago, being first stationed at Lauder and afterwards at Cromwell, where he was medical superintendent of the hospital and had a large practice, which necessitated his motoring long distances.
While a student of the Otago University Dr Harrison was a prominent Rugby footballer, being a fine forward in the ’Varsity senior team. After his retirement from the game he continued to take a keen interest in it. In 1920 he became a member of the Committee of Management of the Otago Rugby Union, and while in Central Otago was a member of the Vincent Sub-union. He was a keen swimmer, and was a well-known competitor at swimming sports in the days of Morgan’s Baths. On his return from the war Dr Harrison took a deep interest in the welfare of returned soldiers, and closely identified himself with the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association, of which he was president for four years and of which he was made a life member in recognition of the very valuable services rendered by him towards that organisation. Dr Harrison was also popular in racing circles, and at various times he owned several horses, probably the best known of which was Arrowmir.
The deceased was the son of Mr Thomas C. Harrison, who for many years was head master at Hampden, and who, with Mrs Harrison, is now a well-known and esteemed resident of St. Clair. -Evening Star, 1/5/1930.
DR HARRISON’S DEATH
SYMPATHY FROM ALL OVER OTAGO
CORTEGE A MILE LONG
Dr Thomas Harrison went to Glenorchy on Wednesday for a day’s duck shooting. On landing from the steamer he found a telegram beseeching his aid for a female patient who was seriously ill at Cromwell. He fretted to get to her assistance, and offered inducements fo the steamer people to take him back to Queenstown at once. That, of course, was impossible. The vessel had to wait for her passengers in the afternoon. Dr Harrison called to his aid all the patience he possessed and on arriving at Queenstown made all possible haste to answer a call on the outskirts of Queenstown and then rush to Cromwell. It was while going to the environs of Queenstown that he met his death by his car overturning in York street, plunging over an embankment, a drop of more than 20ft. It must have turned twice, for it fell on its wheels. A wire fence had given way and let the car down. The doctor, who had been driving alone, was probably killed instantaneous1y; for Dr Brokenshire and Dr. W. A. Anderson found that the skull was fractured in several places.
The body was brought to Dunedin last night via Palmerston, the Palmerston people having requested this deviation in order to pay their last tribute of respect to the man who professionally and personally had endeared himself to them. At every place en route there was a big muster of residents and deep-rooted sympathy was manifested.
The funeral was this morning from the residence of Dr Harrison’s parents, Coughtrey street, St. Clair. A very lengthy procession wound its way to the Anderson’s Bay Cemetery. The clergyman officiating was the Rev. K. G. McDowall, of the St. Clair Presbyterian Church.
Over a hundred wreaths were laid in the hearse, many from privafe friends and grateful patients, and the following public bodies also sent similar tokens of condolence: The headquarters of the Returned Soldiers’Association, Wellington; the R.S.A. branches of Dunedin, Alexandra, and Matakanui; The Otago branch of the British Medical Association; the townspeople of Clyde; Cromwell Girl Guides and the committee of that body; Cromwell Coronation R.A. Chapter; Cromwell Bowling Club; Matakanui Football Club, Vincent Rugby Sub-union, Clyde Bowling Club, Cromwell Football Club, Lauder Medical Club, the nurses of the Cromwell Hospital, the Freemasons of Palmerston, the Otago Commercial Travellers, Service Lodge, No, 287, Vicent Hospital Board; the matron and sisters of the Cromwell Hospital; The Otago Centre N.Z.A.A.; Cromwell Lodge, Cromwell Pluinket Society; the Cromwell Kilwinning Lodge, No. 98, the Cromwell Scouts and Cubs Pack, the Rose of Kawarau and Kawarau Lodges, and the Dunedin Gun Club.
The motor cars formed a line over a mile in length, the mourners coming from all parts of Otago and some from Southland.
The chief mourners were Mr T. C. Harrison (deceased’s’ father) and Thomas Harrison, the doctor's son. The pall-bearers were Dr. Marshall Macdonald (representing the British Medical Association and returned soldiers. Drs Kenneth Ross, V. J. Will and K. R. Brokenshire (Clyde) were present. Mr Colin Gilray and Mr George Thomson attended as the deceased’s class mates at the Otago University. The Rugby Union was represented by Mr H. Harris (president) and Messrs F. H. Campbell, V. Cavanagh, and G. W. C. Macdonald (past presidents). Mr W. Begg, of the City Council, and Dr Merrington, of Knox College, were in attendance, also Mr C. W. J. Roberts (Mayor of Cromwell), Mr D. S. Middleton (of Northburn Station), and six car loads of mourners from the Cromwell district, also the Vincent Hospital Board in a body, with Mr Ritchie, its chairman. The Cromwell Lodge of the Manchester Unity was represented by Mr J. A. Hopcraft.
An impressive Masonic service followed the prayers by the Rev. R. McDowal. The High School Cadets fired three volleys over the, grave, and the High School Bugle Band sounded 'The Last Post.’ The wreaths as laid on the grave covered twenty square yards. -Evening Star, 3/5/1930.
The news of the tragic death of Dr Thomas Harrison proved a staggerer to his friends, and a gloom over the whole district. He was a most lovable man, generous to a fault, and a ‘good sport’ in every way. The district was fortunate in having the services of so brilliant a surgeon as Dr Harrison undoubtedly was, and there must be hundreds of grateful patients who mourn his passing. There are many sad hearts too amongst his friends, and these embrace a very wide circle. He endeared himself to everybody by his self-sacrificing devotion to his profession his promptness in attending to calls was proverbial — and we could quote many cases where the response was made when the Doctor himself should have been in bed; and again by his kindly, cheery disposition. His last act was characteristic of our old friend. He had gone to Glenorchy for the opening of the shooting season, when he received a call from a patient at Cromwell, and immediately set off on the return journey. It appears that on leaving Queenstown he took the wrong road and in endeavoring to turn round his car skidded and went over a bank. The car rolled over several times and the unfortunate victim was pinned underneath and killed outright. The sad part of the awful tragedy is that there was really no need for the hurried return. However, the country has lost a good man, and a splendid doctor whose place it will be indeed hard to fill. It can truthfully be said that Central Otago was in mourning for the Doctor, the outward and visible signs being flags at half masts, the closing of business places, and the large numbers who followed the hearse on its melancholy journey to Dunedin. The funeral took place at the Anderson’s Bay Cemetery on Saturday morning, when there was a very large attendance, and there were many beautiful wreaths from Cromwell, Clyde, Alexandra, Omakau, and indeed from all parts of Otago. To Mrs Harrison and her son and two daughters we extend our heartfelt sympathy in their great loss of a good husband and father.
Dr Harrison was born in Palmerston 46 years ago, and was educated at the Waitaki Boys High School and the Otago University. After graduating he went home to complete his studies and on returning took up practice in Dunedin. When the war broke out he joined the Medical Corps, being one of the company in the Hospital ship Marquette when she was torpedoed in the Mediterranean Sea. Some nine years ago he commenced practice in Lauder and later went to Cromwell. -Dunstan Times, 5/5/1930.
PALMERSTON NOTES. (excerpt)
(Feom Odb Own Correspondent.) PALMERSTON, June 10.
PALMERSTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.
The monthly meeting of the Palmerston Borough Council was held last night, when there were present...
It was also recommended that the new street be called Harrison street, in memory of the late Dr Harrison. The Vincent Hospital Board forwarded a circular regarding the establishment of a fund to be known as “The late Dr Harrison memorial fund,” to provide for the widow and three children. —Received, the clerk and Messrs R. Cameron and D. Ross to be requested to take subscriptions. -otago Daily Times, 11/6/1930.
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