Russian AnzacsErnest Tomrop
| Alias | Ernest Henry Tomrop; Harry; Tom |
|---|---|
| Born | 24.02.1889 |
| Place | Vindava (Ventspils), Latvia |
| Ethnic origin | Latvian / Scottish |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Mother | was Scottish |
| Family | Wife Amy Bell (nee Kershaw) Tomrop, married 1932, Sydney |
| Residence before arrival at Australia | Was at sea for 9 years; Tom was born Ernest Henry Tomrop, on a sailing ship in Russia in 1891. His American mother died at his birth. His Russian father was the ship's skipper and Tom grew up serving his time "before the mast" in sail and steam. Running from his father's harsh discipline, he became an able seaman at 15, and jumped a German ship in Adelaide in 1910, at the age of 20. (From Richard Raxworthy, Harry Tomrop - Last of the 'Tin Hares') |
| Arrived at Australia |
from Vindava, Russia on 24.02.1908 per Neuminster disembarked at Adelaide |
| Residence before enlistment | Bordertown, Hahndorf, Tailem Bend, Pinnaroo Peak, Mannum, Blumberg (Birdwood), SA, Melbourne |
| Occupation | 1912 labourer, 1916 seaman, 1920 aeroplane builder, 1921 rigger |
| Naturalisation | 1912 |
| Residence after the war | 1919 Melbourne, 1930 Sydney |
| Died | 1984 |
Service #1
| Service number | 534N |
|---|---|
| Enlisted | 17.04.1916 |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne |
| Unit | RANBT; 67th Squadron, 1st Squadron Australian Flying Corps |
| Rank | Private, 2nd Air Mechanic, 1st Air Mechanic |
| Place | Egypt, Palestine, 1916-1919 |
| Final fate | RTA 5.03.1919 |
| Discharged | 25.05.1919 |
Service #2
| Enlisted | 1.01.1920 |
|---|---|
| Unit | Australian Air Corps, Central Flying School, Laverton, Vic |
| Discharged | 27.04.1925 |
Materials
Digitised naturalisation (NAA)
Digitised WWI service records (NAA)
Digitised Embarkation roll entry (AWM)
Digitised RAAF service records (NAA)
Personal case file 1 2 (NAA)
Family tree on Ancestry.com
Blogs
Richard Raxworthy, Harry Tomrop - Last of the 'Tin Hares' Posted by: Tyroga
Newspaper articles
Compensation to unmarried woman. - Sydney Morning Herald, 6 November 1928, p. 8.
From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:
The Australian Flying Corps was an élite unit and a small group of Russians was regarded as being sufficiently trustworthy to serve in it. They included three former seamen -- Eloranta, Juckham and Tomrop -- who served in the 1st Flying Squadron in Egypt. Edward Sevald, from Riga, who had studied at aviation school in Russia, had a successful career with the 3rd Flying Squadron in France as a sergeant mechanic. Frederick Dambelis, also from Riga, a former rigger who 'understood motor car driving', became an air-mechanic (2nd class).