Preston, Harold Allan

Individual Details

Service: Marine
Service Details: Can anyone trace the existence of Harold Allan Preston (nicknamed HAP), said to have been a marine engineer. He had been in NZ "since before August '43 on R and R and training". He met Win in Auckland during that period and he went "back overseas in April or early May 1944". Win gave birth to me in December. She didn't know the US state where HAP was born. Apparently he had a brother Paul (killed in the air) and a sister back in the US called Anna. HAP was reportedly killed 28 October 1944. Had he survived, they were to have been married and were planning on going to BTI (Bible Training Institute) in the US, learn Chinese and become missionaries. HAP was reportedly gentle and of a quiet disposition, fairly big and solid, with fair hair and blue eyes. He had an "interest in timber, and China later"; Win also expressed it: "He was in timber, actually" and had a good job. His parents were no longer living. My niece, who has been trying various genealogical sources to track down HAP, has been unsuccessful to date. If you have any information, please contact the researchers.