Private Harold Daniel Abbott

Private Harold Daniel Abbott was born during April 1887 at Launceston in Cornwall, England to parents Frederick Abbott and Julia Carney Geale. He was the oldest in a family of four children, with two brothers and a sister. His mother died on 5 October 1892, five days after the birth of his youngest brother Sidney, who died on 18 October 1892.

It is not known when Abbott emigrated to Australia but he worked as a motor driver and salesman before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force on 12 October 1914. He served with the Australian Army Medical Corps, in the 2nd Australian General, and made a total of four embarkations between 1914 and July 1917. His first embarkation was aboard the HMAT Kyarra, and he returned to Australia on HMAT Ceramic in May 1915. He re-embarked aboard HMAT Orsova in July 1915 and returned to Australia on HMAT Kanowna in December 1915. He remained on this ship until his final embarkation from Australia on HMAT Orsova July 1916, and returned for the final time on HMAT Karoola in April 1917. He was medically discharged in Hobart, 29 May 1917 for asthma.

Whilst serving and also upon his return, Abbott wrote and published number of pieces of music including I’m Glad To Be Back in Australia, In Maoriland, My Own Land: The Great Soldier Song of Home, Perfect Peace Waltz, ‘Neath the Light of a Perfect Peace, and For I Love But You.

Abbott married Florence Jane Denton in Victoria during 1923 and census records show that he was living in the Melbourne suburb of Box Hill from 1937. It is not known whether the couple had children.

Harold Daniel Abbott died in 1957 with his place of death recorded as Park, Victoria.