John Augustus Harman was the eldest of the four children of John Eustace Harman (1861-1927) and Ethel Frances Harman née Birch (1863-1934). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1893 in the Kensington registration district and he was baptised on 30 July 1893 in Northchurch, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.
In the 1901 census he was shown as living at 29 Marloes Road, Kensington, with his parents and two brothers: Charles Eustace Harman (1894-1970) and Albert Edward Harman (1900-1960), together with four female domestic servants. His father's occupation was given as a barrister.
When the 1911 census was undertaken he was listed as a boarding pupil at School House, Uppingham School, Uppingham, Oakham, Rutland, whilst his parents were residing in a 14 roomed property at 45 Onslow Square, South Kensington, together with a cook, a parlour-maid and two house-maids.
Having been a student at Lincoln's Inn, he was recorded as travelling aboard the RMS Antony of the Booth Steam Ship Company Ltd line from Maderia when it landed in Liverpool on 22 February 1914 and the ship's manifest describes him as a clerk aged 20 years showing that he did not intend to stay in the UK but to go onto another British Possession.
The Red1st website informs that he was working on a tea plantation in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1914 before returning to England in the summer of 1915 with a commission in the Army Service Corps as a Second Lieutenant. He saw service in Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece and was at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, Turkey on 6 August 1915. By early 1917 he joined the Royal Flying Corps in Egypt where he gained his flying wings.
He was promoted to Lieutenant and was attached to No.33 Squadron, a home defence squadron. He was killed in a flying accident whilst taking off from Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, aged 24 years, on 17 November 1917 and was buried on 21 November 1917 in Grave C. N.C. 112 in Gainsborough General Cemetery, Heapham Road, Gainsborough DN21 1HH. Probate records confirm that his address had been 45 Onslow Square, South Kensington and stated that he died at Hibaldstow, Lincolnshire. Administration of his estate was granted on 9 February 1918 to his father who was described as a barrister-at-law. His effects totalled £629-3s-0d.
His army effects totalling £136-14s-7d were forwarded to his father on 11 March 1918 and he was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is also commemorated oin the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of World War One website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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