Ernest Tomrop

Alias Ernest Henry Tomrop; Harry; Tom

Born 24.02.1889     Place Vindava (Ventspils), Latvia     Ethnic origin Latvian/Scotch     Religion Church of England

Mother (Scotch)

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     on 24.02.1908     per Neuminster     disembarked at Adelaide

Residence before enlistment Bordertown, Hahndorf, Tailem Bend, Pinirarvo Peak, Narmum, Blumberg, SA, Melbourne

Occupation 1912 labourer, 1916 seaman, 1920 aeroplane builder, 1921 rigger

Service

service number 534N     enlisted 17.04.1916     POE 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

Naturalisation 1912

Family wife Amy Bell, married 1932

Residence after the war 1919 Melbourne, 1930 Sydney

Service 1920-1925 Australian Air Corps, Central Flying School, Laverton

Died 1984

Materials digitised naturalisation (NAA)

digitised WWI service records (NAA)

RAAF service records (NAA)

Richard Raxworthy, Harry Tomrop – Last of the ‘Tin Hares’ Posted by: Tyroga

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).

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