Harold Alexander Alison

Born 3 Nov 1892 - Died 13 Apr 1967

Service number: WWI 24862 AWMM
Also known as: Cook Alison AWMM
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Last rank: WW1 Trooper AWMM
War: World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Harold Alexander Alison — Nominal Roll Vol 2 (Roll 35), Page: 1 - No known copyright restrictions No Known Copyright Restrictions

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Biographical information

Harold Alexander Alison, also known as “Cook” Alison, was born at Devonport, Auckland, on 3 November 1892. He was the son of Duncan Donald Tobias Alison and Emma Alison. Before World War I he worked as a shepherd.

Military service extended across the Alison family. Harold’s brothers Charles Frederick Alison (23940) and John Alfred Edward Alison (13/2153) also served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

Harold enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and embarked from New Zealand on 10 July 1916 aboard HMNZT 58 Waihora. He travelled as a trooper with the 14th Reinforcements, New Zealand Mounted Rifles, arriving overseas in August 1916.Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira holds letters written by Harold Alison while serving in Egypt. These are part of the Papers relating to the Alison and Armitage families (MS-1457) and are available to view digitally through Pou Kanohi New Zealand at War. The Museum also holds Alison family papers (MS-1322), including Harold’s soldier’s pay book, an incomplete letter, a postcard, a greeting card and four photographs.

After reaching Egypt, Alison served with the 15th Imperial Camel Company, part of the Imperial Camel Corps. This force used camels to move troops and supplies across the Sinai Desert and supported operations against Ottoman forces.

In a letter to his mother dated 25 November 1916, Alison wrote from Kantara after his unit had travelled more than 100 miles across the desert. He described the weather as pleasant during the day but increasingly cold in the evenings. His unit was preparing to move towards the firing line, and he anticipated that they might soon enter combat.

Alison admitted that he was eager for action after spending time in camp:

“I am looking forward to get into a ‘smack up’ one gets sick & tired of hanging about the camp.”

He had been reading reports of the heavy losses suffered by New Zealand troops on the Western Front. Comparing those casualties with service in Egypt, he believed that the men of the Imperial Camel Corps had “a better chance of coming through it”. He also expressed regret that his brother Charlie was not serving alongside him (Letter to his mother from Kantara, 25 November 1916, MS-1457-1-5).

A second letter, dated 4 December 1916, records the importance of parcels and news from home. Alison thanked his mother for sending food, noting that everything had arrived in good condition and that even the butter remained firm. He enjoyed the soup and acknowledged a pair of socks sent by another family member.

The letter also shows how soldiers followed the movements and welfare of friends serving elsewhere. Alison discussed Rupert Leslie Harty, who had apparently sought a transfer to the signallers so that he could serve with his brothers. Alison considered the transfer to France unwise and again described Egypt as the safer of the two theatres. He also mentioned seeing Desmond George Jervis’s name in a casualty list (Letter to his mother, 4 December 1916, MS-1457-1-6).

The Alison family correspondence also includes a letter written by Harold’s brother John Alfred Edward Alison from Trentham Camp on 18 June 1915. John described the difficult conditions experienced while living in flooded tents before the men were moved into huts. He wrote about the issue of uniforms and equipment, the cold and wet Wellington weather, and everyday life in camp (Letter to “All at home”, 18 June 1915, MS-1457-1-2).

Harold remained with the mounted forces in Egypt and the Middle East. His known service included the Sinai theatre and the Imperial Camel Corps. He completed his military service with the rank of trooper and was discharged on 5 September 1919.

His demobilisation medical examination recorded that he was in good health, with no disability attributable to military service that was expected to reduce his ability to work in civilian life.

For his service, Alison received the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Harold Alexander Alison died on 13 April 1967. AWMM

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Harold Alexander Alison