Our first view of Tom doesn’t paint him in a particularly flattering light: Thomas Harrison of Baildon, of the 3rd-4th Seaforth Highlanders, was charged at Otley Police Station on Friday with being an absentee. A Police officer said that at 130 p.m. on the previous day he received a telegram to arrest the prisoner as an absentee. At 3 p.m. he met him on the Otley Road at Baildon when the prisoner told him that he was not fit to go as he was suffering from a cold. Prisoner said he went on Sunday to the doctor who signed a certificate for him saying he was suffering from a sever chill and was unfit to travel. Prisoner said: “Shall I come and

see you tomorrow?” and the doctor replied, “No, you must not go out of the house tomorrow.” He sent the certificate to his Commanding Officer at Ripon. It was posted early on Monday morning. Police Sgt Drake said they had since received a telegram saying that the certificate had been received and asking them to convey the prisoner to the nearest military hospital. The prisoner, however, had stated his intention of going back to camp. The Chairman: It seems to me that you have done all you could. You will he remanded for escort and I

have no doubt that your colonel will know how to deal with you.’ Shipley Times & Express 10-3-1916 But there is a very different view of him 18 months later: Pte Tom Harrison, Seaforth Highlanders, son of Mrs Harrison of 5 Hollin Head, Tong Park, is reported to be wounded and missing. Lieut D Campbell writes from France: “I deeply regret to say we have no news beyond the fact that he was wounded and missing.

“I have seen and questioned those who were with him but unfortunately they can give me no news. “The only one who was near him was one of our officers who was afterwards wounded. I intend to write him and see if he can help me. “You have indeed my sincere sympathy for a better or braver soldier never fought on that terrible day. You may rest assured I will do all in my power to obtain further news for I know how anxious you must be in such sore suspense.” Shipley Times & Express 9-11-1917 We now know that Tom was killed on 21 September 1917, aged 29, one of the men with no known grave remembered on the Tyne Cot memorial