59th execution in South Australia. Executed Adelaide Gaol. His sentence was Death (recommend. To Mercy) for the murder of Lance Brown at Adelaide on 17th February, 1944.

Harold served with the 1st to 6th (SA) Reinforcements, rank Private, Service No. 62666

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On the 25th April 1944
Harold Box was sitting in the condemned cell in the Adelaide Gaol, awaiting his execution which was to take place the following day. He had been sentenced to death for the murder of Lance Brown, a financier that Box had borrowed money from.
The day before, on ANZAC Day, protests were made urging a reprieve for Harold Box. It was the South Australian Communist Party, that made up pamphlets and handed them out to marchers in the ANZAC Day parade while they were all assembled in Victoria Square. They also argued the fact that although Harold had not seen action, due to the war finishing before he arrived, he was still a returned serviceman and deserved mercy.
The pamphlet read:
"Tomorrow morning (Wednesday), Harold James Box – returned soldier of the last war – father of eight children – worker in a munitions factory recommended to mercy by the jury – IS CONDEMNED TO DIE for his mistake in taking the law into his own hands in his difficulties with the Brown brother financiers.
No man should die for a crime for which an unjust social system is really responsible"
An attempt was even made to take a petition to Government House, only to be informed that the Governor was absent that night.
Later, a meeting was held near Government House where 150 people turned up and marched along the footpath in King William st but were quickly intercepted by police officers who told the leaders that they could not conduct an unauthorised procession. Some of the demonstrators moved on to the Advertiser office and showed there that they had a petition with several hundred signatures. They returned to the office later with a response they had received from the Premiere, Mr Playford, who stated that:
"This is the law of the land, and the execution must go on"
Despite these demonstrations, and protests being made also from the Trades and Labour Council, the hanging was to continue and no reprieve was to be given.

On 26th April 1944
At just before 8 a.m. today, Harold Box walked calmly from his cell to the gallows. He did it without making any statement.
Because of public sentiment and the protests on the previous day (see yesterdays post), precautions were taken by both the military and civil police to prevent any demonstrations on the day. The public were kept 300 metres away from the Gaol. Military Police patrolled the gaol walls throughout the night and Motor Cycle cops were stationed to watch the road leading to the Gaol.
Box spent the last hour of his life sitting in his cell with the Gaol Chaplain who had visited him many times during his solitary confinement leading up to the execution. He spent the time writing personal messages to his family and he thanked the officers at the Gaol for having treated him well.
He spent much of his time in prayer leading up to the execution and accepted that if it was Gods will that he should die, then he was ready and willing to accept it. With that he walked to the gallows.
Meanwhile outside at 7.50 p.m. a lady ran up to the guards and told them she had to get to the Gaol quickly as she wished to take Harold Box's place. She was clutching a bible and stated it was against God's law that he should be hanged. When she was refused she ran to a nearby telephone box to ring the Keeper of the Goal.
All the protests, public sentiment and appeals failed to save Harold Box and he became the 59th executed prisoner in South Australia.

By Alison Oborn