There appears to be a lot of speculation about HLH. I am sure I will never get to type end of it however a few points. There is NO record of Harcourt ever attending Mosman Prep School. According to the school as recent as today, the only Hartnett to attend the school was “Nelson” who attended for just over one month. Dates are 5 April 1914 to 1 May 1914. Although there is no documentation to confirm Harcourts DOB, it has been common knowledge in our family that his real year of birth was 1905. He simply lied by saying 1903 on his enlistment paperwork of which I have a copy.
As far as my mother, Harcourts daughter is concerned, there is little doubt and more likely than not, that Harcourt Leonard Hartnett is the son of Myrtle. It makes perfect sense to my mother as she recalls many conversations for over 70 years with various close family members, the terms of endearment used by close family members etc. In short, my mother has always suspected that Myrtle was her biological grandmother. Whilst there is no documentary evidence to support this, we as a family have no doubts as to the above.