Harold George B. Tucker
t/Corporal, Australian Imperial Force
Age 13, Class III C: 'Capable in some directions.'
Harold George B. Tucker was a student at Alleyn’s until 1907. During this time, he lived with his parents, Frederick and Caroline, at 28 the Gardens, East Dulwich. After leaving school, he decided to move from London to Southern Australia in hope of finding new opportunities and employment abroad. After moving, Harold quickly found work as farmer and continued to live and work abroad until the First World War broke out in August 1914. After the outbreak, Harold decided to join the war effort and enlisted in the newly established Australian Imperial Force. After being attested, he joined the 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment and received orders to go overseas in December 1914. During his time overseas, Harold served on the Eastern and the Western Front. In 1915, he joined the Dardanelles Campaign where the British, Australian and New Zealand Forces were attempting to defeat the Turkish forces and secure a strait that provided an important supply route to the Russian Empire. A wave of offensives was launched by the Allies in order to secure these goals but each operation resulted in costly failure. Harold took part in a number of these operations and in June 1915 was wounded in action as a result of a bullet hitting his right ear. He spent the next three months recovering in hospital and re-joined his regiment in October 1915. By this point, it was becoming clear that the Dardanelles campaign would not end in victory and the decision was made to withdraw from the peninsula. After the successful evacuation of Gallipoli in December 1915, the Australian Light Horse Regiment was rested for a few months before receiving new orders to report to the Western Front in March 1916. Harold served on the Western Front in France with the AIF until the end of year when his regiment was transferred back to the Eastern Front to serve in Egypt. He remained serving on the Eastern Front for the remainder of the war and received a temporary promotion to Corporal in August 1918. At the end of the conflict, Harold had served for a total of 5 years and 14 days. For this long and dedicated period of service, he received the 1914-15 Star and the British War and Victory Medal.