Australia Australia - Tamam Shud Case - Male, Dec 1948

Transients without money will pick up or bum whatever cigarettes they can find.

An Army Club cigarette box was a small tin which would fit in one's coat pocket, and keep the cigarettes from being crushed.

This man probably liked the tin and simply placed other cigarettes that he bought in the tin.

Back around that time, plastics were also coming into popularity and plastic cigarette boxes were also made. Some of them were like cases in which you put in the whole pack, and others you would remove the cigarettes from the pack they came in and transfer them to the plastic case.

This fellow was probably of the old school and preferred the tin.

s-l400.jpg


LINK:

Vintage Army Club Cigarette Tin SANDHURST SIZE QUICK SHIP | eBay
 
Part of RecordSearch unavailable
Page 1: "Thomas Ambrose Keane"
Page 8: "19 Abington St South Brisbane"
(Address is non existent. There is a 19 Abingdon St Wooloongabba, but it was occupied by a Mr and Mrs J Richmond)
Page 9: "HQ Query"
Page 10: "Reference No, illegible containing available information sent to redacted on 27/3/1950 Request for individual particulars, current activities etc...." (Someone made an enquiry into his whereabouts and what he was up-to - quite likely part of the request by South Australian Police to identify the body found upon Somerton Beach in 1948)
Page 11: "1945 July Member E.Y.L. 2/7/2 232 Vol.1 ODS Q illegible 7/7/45" (E.Y.L. = Eureka Youth League)
 
Why did Jessica Harkness tell the police everything she knew about Alfred Boxall yet nothing of the Somerton Man .. ?

Why didn’t Harkness tell the police anything about the Somerton Man .. ?

Why was she shocked to see his likeness .. ?

Why wasn’t she categorised as a Person of Interest .. ?

Why wasn’t there a follow up interview .. ?

Why wasn’t Sir Cedric Stanton Hicks, Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology, asked for an opinion on the condition of his feet .. ?

Why was it left to Paul Lawson, Taxidermist .. ?

Why were there no socks in his luggage when he carried spare ties, shirts, trousers, underpants, singlets, coat, shirt, comb … ?

Why wasn’t Harkness asked by Feltus if her pet name was Jestyn .. ?

Why was a box of Bryant and May matches later included in his possessions .. ?

Why were two tickets left in his pocket when everything else that identified him was taken .. ?

Why did these tickets lead back to the train station and the suitcase .. ?

Why didn’t the police pursue this line of enquiry .. ?

Why did they wait for Detective Brown to issue a general enquiry about missing luggage before the police visited the train station luggage office .. ?

Why wasn’t anyone seen lying by the Childrens Home steps before 7:30 pm or after 8:30 pm on the night of November 30th .. ?

Why has SA Major Crimes taken possession of the previously authorised DNA samples legally obtained by analyst Blackie .. ?

Why, considering they took them over seventeen months ago, did it take so long for the seizure to be publicly known .. ?

Why was Gordon Strapp’s Deposition ignored when it would have effected the inquest outcome .. ?

Why do we take for granted that Littlemore’s question to Boxall about involvement in Intelligence related to his service with the Nackeroos .. ?

Why do we believe the Nackeroos were involved in Intelligence when they were a commando style unit .. ?

Why then did Boxall admit working with Intelligence .. ?

Why didn’t Stuart Littlemore ask Boxall if he knew a man named Keane .. ?

Why didn’t Littlemore ask Boxall if he knew Harkness as Jestyn .. ?

Why was the identity of Chemist Freeman withheld for seventy years .. ?

Why did the lividity on his upper body contradict the position his body was found in .. ?

Why did Harkness, a young single woman, give Boxall, an older married man, a copy of the Rubaiyat prior to his overseas posting .. ?

Why didn’t Boxall’s wife give him a copy of the Rubaiyat prior to his overseas posting .. ?

Why would Harkness inscribe Boxall Verse 70 when her relationship with him was only occasional .. ?

Why did he have Kensitas cigarettes in an Army Club packet .. ?

Why was a handkerchief, singlet and a pair of jockey underpants added to his possessions .. ?

Why wasn’t Harkness asked if she had any digitalis in the house .. ?

Why wasn’t Prosper Thomson asked if he took digitalis for his haemoptysis .. ?

Why didn’t the police pursue this line of enquiry .. ?

Why was a half-smoked cigarette found on the body when he didn’t have the means to light it .. ?

Why didn’t Stuart Littlemore ask Boxall if Harkness wrote the inscription .. ?

Why weren’t the airlines checked for arrivals on or about November 30th .. ?

Why wasn’t the Rubaiyat handed in before the inquest .. ?

Why has the code defied generations of code-breakers .. ?

Why were his feet ‘wedge shaped’ .. ?

Why didn’t the ABC interviewer ask Kate Thomson if her mother’s pet name was Jestyn .. ?

Why was the cigarette found on the body not retained as evidence .. ?

Why was there no correspondence in his suitcase when he had enough envelopes to suggest he wrote regularly .. ?

Why don’t we know who marked up the code .. ?

Why was the code marked up .. ?

~~



Why were there no scorch marks on his skin or clothing given he had a partly smoked cigarette wedged under his chin .. ?

Why did he have such an exceptional physique .. ?

Why didn’t the police take note of the number of second-hand, already inscribed Rubaiyats on the used book market .. ?



Why wasn’t Jessica Harkness interviewed, for the record .. ?



Why did Leane’s Deposition include a box of Bryant and May matches when his initial listing of possessions didn’t .. ?



Why did Leane’s Deposition differ from Moss’ in regard to the box of Bryant and May matches .. ?

Why did it take so long for the police to find out what Tamam Shud meant, seeing as the Rubaiyat was very popular in Australia .. ?



Why was he stripped of all his identity .. ?



Why are we accepting that Jessica was nicknamed Jestyn .. ?

Why didn’t Feltus ask Harkness if she was known as Jestyn .. ?

Why are we accepting that the man seen the night before was the same man seen in the morning .. ?

Why were there abrasions on the knuckles of his right hand .. ?

~~

Why would the police have thought a ship’s 3rd Officer would improvise his own tools .. ?

Why did he have cigarettes and no matches .. ?

Why has the witness statement that tells of a man carrying a man along the foreshore on the night of the 30th been withheld .. ?

Why was the only officially released image of the code marked up .. ?

Why isn’t there a photo of the unmarked code .. ?

Why has SA Major Crimes held the DNA samples for over seventeen months .. ?

Why was Senior Government Analyst Cowan unable to identify a black powder shaken from a brush that was part of a homemade set of tools taken from the man’s luggage .. ?

Why does the thought occur that the man has already been identified by SA Major Crimes through their analysing of the samples taken from analyst Blackie .. ?

And finally,

.. why does the thought occur that the any official findings of the DNA samples will be suppressed .. ?

<modsnip - personal blog is not an approved source>
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Why did Jessica Harkness tell the police everything she knew about Alfred Boxall yet nothing of the Somerton Man .. ?

Why didn’t Harkness tell the police anything about the Somerton Man .. ?

Why was she shocked to see his likeness .. ?

Why wasn’t she categorised as a Person of Interest .. ?

Why wasn’t there a follow up interview .. ?

Why wasn’t Sir Cedric Stanton Hicks, Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology, asked for an opinion on the condition of his feet .. ?

Why was it left to Paul Lawson, Taxidermist .. ?

Why were there no socks in his luggage when he carried spare ties, shirts, trousers, underpants, singlets, coat, shirt, comb … ?

Why wasn’t Harkness asked by Feltus if her pet name was Jestyn .. ?

Why was a box of Bryant and May matches later included in his possessions .. ?

Why were two tickets left in his pocket when everything else that identified him was taken .. ?

Why did these tickets lead back to the train station and the suitcase .. ?

Why didn’t the police pursue this line of enquiry .. ?

Why did they wait for Detective Brown to issue a general enquiry about missing luggage before the police visited the train station luggage office .. ?

Why wasn’t anyone seen lying by the Childrens Home steps before 7:30 pm or after 8:30 pm on the night of November 30th .. ?

Why has SA Major Crimes taken possession of the previously authorised DNA samples legally obtained by analyst Blackie .. ?

Why, considering they took them over seventeen months ago, did it take so long for the seizure to be publicly known .. ?

Why was Gordon Strapp’s Deposition ignored when it would have effected the inquest outcome .. ?

Why do we take for granted that Littlemore’s question to Boxall about involvement in Intelligence related to his service with the Nackeroos .. ?

Why do we believe the Nackeroos were involved in Intelligence when they were a commando style unit .. ?

Why then did Boxall admit working with Intelligence .. ?

Why didn’t Stuart Littlemore ask Boxall if he knew a man named Keane .. ?

Why didn’t Littlemore ask Boxall if he knew Harkness as Jestyn .. ?

Why was the identity of Chemist Freeman withheld for seventy years .. ?

Why did the lividity on his upper body contradict the position his body was found in .. ?

Why did Harkness, a young single woman, give Boxall, an older married man, a copy of the Rubaiyat prior to his overseas posting .. ?

Why didn’t Boxall’s wife give him a copy of the Rubaiyat prior to his overseas posting .. ?

Why would Harkness inscribe Boxall Verse 70 when her relationship with him was only occasional .. ?

Why did he have Kensitas cigarettes in an Army Club packet .. ?

Why was a handkerchief, singlet and a pair of jockey underpants added to his possessions .. ?

Why wasn’t Harkness asked if she had any digitalis in the house .. ?

Why wasn’t Prosper Thomson asked if he took digitalis for his haemoptysis .. ?

Why didn’t the police pursue this line of enquiry .. ?

Why was a half-smoked cigarette found on the body when he didn’t have the means to light it .. ?

Why didn’t Stuart Littlemore ask Boxall if Harkness wrote the inscription .. ?

Why weren’t the airlines checked for arrivals on or about November 30th .. ?

Why wasn’t the Rubaiyat handed in before the inquest .. ?

Why has the code defied generations of code-breakers .. ?

Why were his feet ‘wedge shaped’ .. ?

Why didn’t the ABC interviewer ask Kate Thomson if her mother’s pet name was Jestyn .. ?

Why was the cigarette found on the body not retained as evidence .. ?

Why was there no correspondence in his suitcase when he had enough envelopes to suggest he wrote regularly .. ?

Why don’t we know who marked up the code .. ?

Why was the code marked up .. ?

~~



Why were there no scorch marks on his skin or clothing given he had a partly smoked cigarette wedged under his chin .. ?

Why did he have such an exceptional physique .. ?

Why didn’t the police take note of the number of second-hand, already inscribed Rubaiyats on the used book market .. ?



Why wasn’t Jessica Harkness interviewed, for the record .. ?



Why did Leane’s Deposition include a box of Bryant and May matches when his initial listing of possessions didn’t .. ?



Why did Leane’s Deposition differ from Moss’ in regard to the box of Bryant and May matches .. ?

Why did it take so long for the police to find out what Tamam Shud meant, seeing as the Rubaiyat was very popular in Australia .. ?



Why was he stripped of all his identity .. ?



Why are we accepting that Jessica was nicknamed Jestyn .. ?

Why didn’t Feltus ask Harkness if she was known as Jestyn .. ?

Why are we accepting that the man seen the night before was the same man seen in the morning .. ?

Why were there abrasions on the knuckles of his right hand .. ?

~~

Why would the police have thought a ship’s 3rd Officer would improvise his own tools .. ?

Why did he have cigarettes and no matches .. ?

Why has the witness statement that tells of a man carrying a man along the foreshore on the night of the 30th been withheld .. ?

Why was the only officially released image of the code marked up .. ?

Why isn’t there a photo of the unmarked code .. ?

Why has SA Major Crimes held the DNA samples for over seventeen months .. ?

Why was Senior Government Analyst Cowan unable to identify a black powder shaken from a brush that was part of a homemade set of tools taken from the man’s luggage .. ?

Why does the thought occur that the man has already been identified by SA Major Crimes through their analysing of the samples taken from analyst Blackie .. ?

And finally,

.. why does the thought occur that the any official findings of the DNA samples will be suppressed .. ?

<modsnip - personal blog is not an approved source>
 
Last edited by a moderator:
SA Government gives approval to dig up remains of unknown man

One of Australia's most baffling mysteries is being re-examined, more than 70 years after the body of an unknown man found dead on a South Australian beach in 1948. The State's attorney general has granted conditional approval to exhume the remains of the so-called 'Somerton Man' hoping finally to figure out who he is and what happened.
 
Wow that's interesting. The Govt declined 2 previous petitions so I wonder what changed. Weren't there legal reasons quoted previously (something about no provision to dig up remains for simple ID, had to be related to solving a crime)?
SA Government gives approval to dig up remains of unknown man

One of Australia's most baffling mysteries is being re-examined, more than 70 years after the body of an unknown man found dead on a South Australian beach in 1948. The State's attorney general has granted conditional approval to exhume the remains of the so-called 'Somerton Man' hoping finally to figure out who he is and what happened. SA Government gives approval to dig up remains of unknown man
 
Regarding his missing incisor teeth - it is possible that they might have been removed in an effort to straighten out his other front teeth. This is sometimes done when there are too many teeth for the size of the mouth, and space is needed to reposition other teeth.

There certainly are many unanswered questions regarding this mystery man.
 
SA Government gives approval to dig up remains of unknown man

One of Australia's most baffling mysteries is being re-examined, more than 70 years after the body of an unknown man found dead on a South Australian beach in 1948. The State's attorney general has granted conditional approval to exhume the remains of the so-called 'Somerton Man' hoping finally to figure out who he is and what happened.
Well this is a nice surprise!! I really hope they'll be able to finally solve the mystery.
 
You know, I've always wondered why they didn't just test her DNA years ago. It's really interesting to read in the article that they have already been using it, as well as learning more about their love story.

I'm excited about a podcast, thank you for posting it. Will definitely be listening!
 
Last edited:
Bumping for Somerton Man. Is there any word that the exhumation and DNA sampling is going to proceed? I have not heard anything.
I bet he was American or Canadian, he had chewing gum on him.
. I haven’t seen anything further in the Australia MSM. He was also wearing a jacket purchased in the US, so your theory could well be correct.
 
I believe he had other objects on him that were not easily available in Aus at that time, but were available in America. So one theory is that he was American or had recently been there.
Prof. Abbott’s wife is theorized to be SM’s granddaughter, and in one video he said that there were a lot of fourth cousin DNA hits in the US. Of course, anyone of European descent would have something similar so I’m not convinced.
Hair was retrieved from the plaster death bust, and DNA was recovered years ago, though the techniques could not reveal much at the time. It would surprise me if it had not now been run through the more recent and better analyses. I wonder if more is known than is being said, but can’t be proven without the exhumation. Hmmmm....

FWIW, I doubt that he was a spy or was murdered. As in most cases, the truth will probably be quite mundane.
 
Well, I was looking at the page of “code” that was on the back of the copy of The Rubayyat found in the car with “Tamam Shud” cut out.
It occurred to me that the letters don’t look like a code, they look like the first letters of words. As they were written on back of the book, was Somerton Man trying to commit a quatrain to memory so that he could recite it? I could not match the letters to any quatrain in Fitzgerald’s Fifth Edition. Other editions are somewhat different, and as I come across them I may try those.
If he was trying to remember poetry he himself had written, in the style of Omar Khayyam (or of Fitzgerald) we will likely never know what it was.
 
Wow that's interesting. The Govt declined 2 previous petitions so I wonder what changed. Weren't there legal reasons quoted previously (something about no provision to dig up remains for simple ID, had to be related to solving a crime)?
Because I think you will find that the South Australian State Government changed from the Labor Party to the Liberal Party as a result of the most recent State Election which means there is a different State Attorney General and Exhumations have to go through the AT in SA. The former Labor AT said something like (and don’t quote me on this) that the exhumation had very little merit and was only to satisfy curiosity. The new Liberal AT said it was OK to do the Exhumation as long as the State didn’t have to pay for it.
 
Last edited:
sbm
I could not match the letters to any quatrain in Fitzgerald’s Fifth Edition. Other editions are somewhat different, and as I come across them I may try those.
"Fitzgerald First Edition published by Whitcomb and Tombs in New Zeeland", I'm guessing they mean the author's first edition, not the first edition published by W&T specifically?

I had the same idea as you and went through the first edition, looking at first letters of both words and lines.
The only thing I could figure out was the amount of letters in the code is around the same as six lines from the text, like the ones beginning at XI.
Someone has probably already worked that out though.

The first edition is here:
Rubaiyat Of Omar Khayyam : Edward Fitzgerald : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
 

"The secret impresses no one. The trick you use it for is everything."
 
Could be it be possible, that the Somerton Man aka Tamam Shud wasn't a spy, but rather a black market dealer or conman? And that the handwritten lines on the back of the book could've had a possible criminal purpose; (i.e, possible meeting place)?
 

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
115
Guests online
3,647
Total visitors
3,762

Forum statistics

Threads
592,278
Messages
17,966,538
Members
228,735
Latest member
dil2288
Back
Top