Robert Henry Allan Harrison

Chief Engineer Robert Henry Allan Harrison – Naval Auxiliary Personnel (Merchant Navy)

Early Life

Robert Henry Allan Harrison was born in Hull in 1879. Details of his parents and early childhood remain limited, but Hull’s strong maritime traditions likely influenced his later career at sea. By the outbreak of the Second World War, Harrison had moved to Swansea, South Wales, where he lived with his married sister, Mrs. J. E. Comline.

Service Record

Harrison served with the Naval Auxiliary Personnel (Merchant Navy), holding the rank of Chief Engineer aboard H.M.S. Ely. His position carried significant responsibility, overseeing the mechanical and engineering operations vital to the ship’s function.

South Wales Daily  Post

On the 5^th of December 1939, H.M.S. Ely arrived in Swansea. Captain Thomas Henry Marlow reportedly cautioned Harrison about the dangers of going ashore during the blackout, a necessary precaution in wartime Britain. That warning was the last known sighting of Harrison.

Death

Merthyr Express

On the 5^th of January 1940, Harrison was officially reported missing. In the days that followed, police discovered his body beneath the New Cut Bridge. No clear explanation could be offered as to how he had come to fall into the river.

Hull Daily Post

At the time of his death, Harrison was in his sixties. An inquest was held under coroner David Clarke, who delivered the verdict “Found Drowned.” Testimony was given by Captain Marlow and by Thomas John Phillips of Eaton Crescent, who had found Harrison’s body in the water.

Burial

Harrison’s funeral was arranged by his sister, Mrs. Comline. He was buried in Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea, where his grave became the first Second World War burial at the site.

Legacy

Robert Henry Allan Harrison
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Although Harrison did not die in combat, his death highlights the unseen risks of wartime service. His story reflects how danger extended beyond the battlefield — from blackouts to accidents — and how such losses deeply affected families and local communities.

Importantly, his grave was the first Second World War burial at Danygraig Cemetery and also represents one of the older military burials, as Harrison was in his sixties at the time of his death. His resting place marks the beginning of the cemetery’s Second World War memorials and stands as a reminder of the broad human cost of the conflict.