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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
John Thomas Harris
British Army 9th Btn. Sherwood Foresters
(d.9th Jun 1917)
John Harris joined up on the 18th of September 1915 as a volunteer. He had been born in 1877 and worked as a miner.
Maj. John James Fitzgerald Harris OBE
South African Army 1st Regiment South African Infantry
from:Doughcloyne, Co. Cork
(d.20th January 1920)
Major James Fitzgerald John Harris was aged 43 when he died. He is buried in the Annash Cemetery in Co. Cork in the South-West part, near the gate.
He was the Husband of Beatrice-Fitzgerald Harris, of Feirm Bawn, Doughcloyne, Co. Cork.
Sub-Lt. Joseph Orlando Harris DSO
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Hawke Btn. Royal Naval Div.
(d.10th October 1918)
Sub-Lieutenant Joseph Harris DSO was aged 31 when he died at 29 Casualty Clearing Station, Delsaux.
He was the son of Augusta Harris of Tottenham and the late William Haris and the husband of Ada Healy (formerly Harris) of Bartlett House, Rockmount Road, Plumstead.
He is buried in Delsaux Farm Cemtery, Beugny in Grave I.C.17.
Pte. Louis Harris
British Army 10th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment
(d.7th Nov 1918)
Pte. L. Harris served with the West Yorkshire Regiment10th Battalion. He was executed on 7th November 1918 for desertion and is buried in Ghissignies British Cemetery, Ghissignies, France. He was one of the last to be executed in the war.
Bbdr. Percy James Harris
British Army 2/1st Home Counties Heavy Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
from:Ospringe, Faversham, Kent
My grandfather Percy Harris served in the Territorial Force with the Royal Garrison Artillery and spent most of the war in England. He was at Mundesley in Norfolk from May 1916 to late November 1917 and went to France probably in early 1918. His last postcard home was in late April 1918.
A list of places where he served or was based includes (no dates are given):
- RGA Base Depot BEF (I think this was at Harfleur).
- 21st Siege Battery RGA BEF.
- 4th Army School, Bouchon, France.
- Ward 6, 6th General Australian Hospital.
- Hospital, Rouen, France.
Rfmn. Percy John Harris
British Army 2nd Btn Rifle Brigade
from:Hackney London
Percy Harris served with 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade. He enlisted on 10th of December 1915, was wounded and spent time in hospital. He was discharged on 17th of June 1918 and awarded Silver War Badge 414930.
Rfmn. Philip Claude Harris
British Army 3rd Btn. Rifle Brigade
(d.23rd Oct 1914)
Philip Harris served with the 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade during WW1 and was killed in action on the 23rd October 1914, aged 20. Philip died after being shot in the head by a sniper at Chapelle d' Armentieres. He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing in Belgium.
Capt. R. A. M. Harris
British Army 11th Btn. Border Regiment
My father Capt RAM Harris served with the 11 Battalion from its formation till 1917 when wounded. He was not at the start of the Somme offensive as he was on leave when his brother contracted chicken pox and his doctor would not let him return. The officer who took his place died. Are there to be any celebrations for the Regiment?
Update: R A M Harris, was originally in A Company and by February 1917, by then Captain, was leading platoons of D Company into action at R. 1.a.55. Sub Sector R1 Beaumont Hamel. He received shrapnel wounds in 1916 and was wounded in action in 1917 and hospitalised in London.
Gnr. Rees Howell Harris
British Army D Battery, 307th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
from:Morriston, Swansea
(d.27th Sep 1917)
Rees Harris is thought to have been wounded in battle at Ypres. He was transferred to hospital at Etaples. He was visited there by his parents (my great grandparents), but after they had left, he took a turn for the worse and a despatch Rider was sent to bring them back, but unfortunately they were too late.
Rfmn. Richard Harris
British Army 1st Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps
from:39 Wood End, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton
(d.4th Oct 1914)
Richard Harris was 39 when he was badly wounded in the lungs during the Battle of Aisnes in September 1914. He was brought home and died of these wounds in Whitworth Street Military Hospital in Manchester. He was buried in Southern Cemetery, Manchester and is remembered on the Screen Wall.
Richard was the first British Soldier to die in Manchester as a result of WW1 and there was great local outcry because, unlike German soldiers who had received full military honours when buried there, he was not given the same courtesy. A Manchester newspaper reported that "the lack of the usual military features attending a soldier's funeral was freely commented on".
Born in 1875, Richard was a veteran of the Boer War having been awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal for his action in Cape Colony, Orange Free State, the Relief of Ladysmith and Transvaal, he also received the King's South Africa Medal for his service in 1901 and 1902. His WW1 medals (the 1914 Star, the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal) were presented to his wife and children, along with his Memorial Plaque, these are still with Richard's family to this day.
Cpl. Robert Harris
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Birtley
Robert Harris was wounded in July 1916 and January 1918
2nd/Lt. Roland Hanwell "Bulldog" Harris MC
British Army 2nd London Prince Of Wales Own Civil Service Rifles
from:Hymers Avenue, Hull,
(d.27th December 1917)
Roland Hanwell Harris was dishing out the rum to his men in the trenches, when a Moaning Minnie landed on the parapet, just above his head. Before it exploded and with great presence of mind, Roland whipped the helmet off his head and placed it over the jug of rum, so the rum ration survived (as did Roland) and, as one of his men wrote in the Regimental History "we got our rum". I also have a series of wonderful letters, written by Roland to his Mother, Florence Edith Harris (Nee Hanwell), who lived in Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire. One letter starts as follows:- "Mother, I am an 'ero at last, a military cross has come my way, I know not how". The citation says that it was given "for going out into no-man's-land and bandaging wounded men under constant artillery and machine gun fire". Another letter asks his mother to send him a pricker for his Primus stove.
Gnr. Sidney Harris MM
British Army B Bty, 160th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
from:Hampshire
(d.25th Mar 1918)
Sidney Harris served with B Battery, 160th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. I have no knowledge of the reason for which my uncle was awarded the Military Medal and wondered if anyone else knew what had happened.
Pte. Sidney Raymond Harris
British Army 1st Btn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers
from:44 Portland Road, South Norwood, Surrey
(d.24th Apr 1917)
Rflmn. Sydney Harris
11th Bn. Rifle Brigade
(d.25/02/1916)
Pte. Thomas Harris
British Army 1st Btn. Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
(d.21st Jun 1915)
Thomas Harris served with the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), 1st Battalion. He was executed for desertion on 21st June 1915, aged 21, and is buried in Perth Cemetery (China Wall) in Belgium.
Sgt. Thomas James Harris VC. MM.
British Army 6th Btn. Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
(d.9th Aug 1918)
Thomas Harris was killed in action on the 9th of August 1918 and is buried in the Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension in France.
An extract from The London Gazette, No. 30967, dated 18th Oct., 1918, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in attack when the advance was much impeded by hostile machine guns concealed in crops and shell-holes. Serjt. Harris led his section against one of these, capturing it and killing seven of the enemy. Later, on two successive occasions, he attacked single-handed two enemy machine-guns which were causing heavy casualties and holding up the advance. He captured the first gun and killed the crew, but was himself killed when attacking the second one. It was largely due to the great courage and initiative of this gallant N.C.O. that the advance of the battalion was continued without delay and undue casualties. Throughout the operations he showed a total disregard for his own personal safety, and set a magnificent example to all ranks."
Pte. Thomas Harris
British Army Royal Defence Corps
from:Pennington Street, St George in the East, London
(d.18th January 1919)
Thomas Harris previously served as Pte. 3925, 1/17th London Regiment and entered France on 6th December 1915. He died and is buried at Netley Hospital.
Pte. Thomas Harris
British Army 2nd Btn. Welch Regiment
from:76 Mill Street, Tonyrefail
(d.14th Jul 1917)
Lt. W. H. J. Harris
British Army 13th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
Lt. W. H.J. Harris, 13th Siege Battery, R.G.A. is named on a piece of trench art recently acquired, along with various battle honours: Richbourg 9 May 1915; Festubert 16 May 1915; Loos 25 Sept 1915; Vimy Ridge 20 May 1916; La Boiselle, Ovillers; Thiepval, Poziere; Courcelette, Beaumont Hamel.
Rflmn. Walter Harris
British Army 2nd Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps
from:Poplar East London
(d.23rd November 1916)
Walter Harris, born 1889, was the older brother of my grandfather Edward Harris. They were two of the four sons and two daughters of Charles and Mary-Ann Harris from Bethnal Green. In 1911 Walter gives his occupation as a labourer in a wallpaper manufacturers and in 1912 he married Edith Kate Hardy in West Ham and they had a daughter Kate born in 1914.
I am not sure when he enlisted but he was killed in action in France on 23rd November 1916. In October 1917 his brother Edward serving in the 7th Battalion of The Rifle Brigade died of wounds and was buried in France.
Pte. Wilfred Henry Harris
British Army 8th (Service) Btn. Gloucestershire Regiment
from:Mickleton
(d.3rd Apr 1918)
Pte. William Henry Harris
British Army East Kent Regiment
from:Minster, Thanet, kent
William Harris was born on 2nd December 1894 at Aldington, Kent. He signed up for active service with the Royal Garrison Artillery in February 1914 at an age of almost 20. He passed two educational examinations that month, giving him 3rd and then 2nd Class certificates. However, by March of that year, he had been signed off as "unlikely to become an efficient soldier" on grounds of health, he had been diagnosed with a hernia. This must have been a terrible blow to his morale, as he had a younger brother Edward Harris was serving in the same regiment. It's important to realise that, as a ploughman on a farm in Minster, Isle of Thanet, in Kent, his discharge was a legitimate ticket out of appalling hostilities in Europe. However, he did no more than travel down the road to Canterbury and, under the same name, signed up for service with the East Kent Regiment(The Buffs). His new regiment didn't ever seem to query, or even know about, his first 64 days of service. Research is still on-going into the detail of his service but we do know that he fought in a in a skirmish in the Somme (prior to the great Battle) and was posted as "missing believed lost". German information later announced to the Allies that he had been captured. He was eventually discharged to the UK and returned to his farm, a broken man, and, the family recalls, haunted by the privations of his time in captivity. He had become morose and caustic in what little conversation he offered. He battled on with his private demons, speaking little to his wife or children about his inner thoughts. He died in Ramsgate on 28th June 1946 aged 52. His younger brother had returned from the front in a little over two years, nerves shot to pieces, and died aged 22.
Pte. Willie P. Harris
British Army 1st Cape Btn. Coloured Labour Regiment
(d.26th Aug 1919)
Willie Harris served with the 1st Cape Btn, Coloured Labour Regiment. He was executed for murder, on 26th August 1919 aged 49 and is buried in Y Farm Military Cemetery, Bois-Grenier, France.
Sister. Harrison
Queen Alexandras Nursing Service No. 32 Stationary Hospital
Sister Harrison served at No. 32 Stationary Hospital, Wimereux
Sister. Harrison
Queen Alexandras Nursing Service No. 46 Stationary Hospital
Pte. Abraham Harrison
British Army 9th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Jarrow
(d.31st Aug 1915)
Abraham Harrison was 28 years old when he died. He was born in Blythe to Joseph and Elizabeth Harrison (nee Marshall) of 10 William Street Jarrow. He enlisted at Newcastle.
Abraham is buried in Ridge Wood Military Cemetery. He was commemorated on the Triptych (left panel) in St. Mark's Church Jarrow (it is no longer a Church). His older brother Joseph Harrison was also one of the fallen.
Pte. Albert Edward Harrison
British Army 25th Battalion Middlesex Regiment
from:Cliffe, Kent
My grandfather, Albert Edward Harrison, born 1882 in Kent and served in the 25th Middlesex Regiment. We know he went to Hong Kong possibly April 1917 to relieve more hardened soliders from duty. I think it was like a labour regiment that was raised. He then went to Russia during the revolution late 1917 or early 1918. Then returned to England in 1919.
What medals he had have disappeared through the family in recent years. All I have is his cap badge. He returned to live back in Kent as a farm labourer and passed away in 1957. We have tried very hard to trace anything that relates to him but his records may have been amongst a major fire of First World War records. Hope there is further information to come to light.
Lt/Cmdr. Arthur Leyland Harrison VC.
Royal Navy HMS Lion
(d.23rd April 1918)
Arthur Harrison served on HMS Vindictive during the Zeebrugge Raid. He was killed in action 23/04/1918, Age: 32 and is commemorated on the Memorial in the Zeebrugge Churchyard in Belgium. Son of the late Lt. Col. A. J. Harrison (Royal Fusiliers) and the late Adelaide Ellen Harrison, he was a member of the England Rugby Football Team of 1914.
An extract from the "London Gazette," dated 14th March, 1919, records the following:- "For most conspicuous gallantry at Zeebrugge on the night of the 22nd-23rd April, 1918. This officer was in immediate command of the Naval Storming Parties embarked in 'Vindictive'. Immediately before coming alongside the Mole Lieut.-Commander Harrison was struck on the head by a fragment of a shell which broke his jaw and knocked him senseless. Recovering consciousness he proceeded on to the Mole and took over command of his party, who were attacking the seaward end of the Mole. The silencing of the guns on the Mole head was of the first importance, and though in a position fully exposed to the enemy's machine-gun fire Lieut.-Commander Harrison gathered his men together and led them to the attack. He was killed at the head of his men, all of whom were either killed or wounded. Lieut.-Commander Harrison, though already severely wounded and undoubtedly in great pain, displayed indomitable resolution and courage of the highest order in pressing his attack, knowing as he did that any delay in silencing the guns might jeopardise the main object of the expedition, i.e., the blocking of the Zeebrugge-Bruges Canal. "
Pte. Arthur Harrison MM.
British Army 13th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment
from:Wakefield
(d.23rd November 1917)
Page 22 of 91
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