Harold was born in May 1920 at Christchurch, Dorset. His mother was Mary Ann "Molly" Malins who was just 20 years old at the time. His father was Albert Edward Merefield. As a child, Harold was cared for by his grandmother but when he was a bit older, by the Norris family. At around 7 years of age, he was placed into the Fairmile Children's Home at Christchurch as the Norris family could no longer keep him.

At about the same time, in April 1927, Mary Ann Malins left England, bound for Australia with Albert Edward Merefield. They travelled on the P&O liner Bendigo via South Africa to Freemantle. They later married in 1929 and remained in Australia.

Harold worked in some of the large hotels in Bournemouth, Dorset, England as soon as he was able and then enlisted in the regular army in November 1937, aged just 17. He was placed into the Royal Army Service Corps and left for Egypt in December 1938 with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He was captured shortly after the outbreak of WWII and became a Prisoner of War in Italy, Germany and Poland for over 6 years, serving at some time in the Prison Camp Stalag VIII-B at :
Lamsdorf, Poland.

When Harold returned home to England after the war, he was fortunate enough to meet up with his future father-in-law Thomas Knibbs in Windsor. Thomas invited him home for a good home cooked meal and that was how he met Thomas's daughter Mabel Lily Knibbs. Harold and Mabel married and made a good life for themselves and their seven children in England and then later in Australia.
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Harold and Mabel emigrated to Freemantle, Western Australia on 6th February, 1969 abord the ship Castel Felice.

When Harold Malins returned home to England after the war, he was fortunate enough to meet up with his future Father-in-law Thomas Knibbs in Windsor. Thomas invited him home for a good home cooked meal and that was how he met Thomas's daughter Mabel Lily Knibbs. Harold and Mabel married and made a good life for themselves and their seven children in England and then later in Australia.