The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Corporal R J Harris

Corporal / Sergeant Robert Jackson HARRIS, G/19141, 11th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed in action, Flanders France, 7th June 1917, age 28.

Born Manchester, Lancashire, son of John Frederick & Mary Agnes Harris.

1911 Census - 6 Kings Road, Peckham, SE - John Frederick Harris, head, age 49, married, foreman works, chemical manufacturer, born Manchester, Lancashire; Mary Agnes Harris, wife, age 49, married 23 years, 5 children, all still alive, born Ireland; Robert Jackson Harris, son, age 22, single, clerk, commercial, born Manchester, Lancashire; John William Harris, son, age 20, single, engineer, turner, boiler maker, worker, born Manchester, Lancashire; Mary Agnes Harris, daughter, age 19, single, born Manchester, Lancashire; William Edward Harris, son, age 9, school, born Peckham, London; Sophia Margaret Harris, daughter, age 8, school, born Peckham, London.

31st July 1915, Parish Church, Camberwell, Robert Jackson Harris, age 26, bachelor, clerk, 76 Lyndhurst Grove, father John Frederick Harris, clerk married Edith Mary Harwood, age 24, spinster, 76 Lyndhurst Grove, father Eustace Henry Harwood, clerk.

Previously served 1st Surrey Rifles, Volunteers, discharged on formation of Territorial Force.

Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent, age 26 years, height 5ft 11½ inches, weight 150lbs. Resided 22 Worlingham Road, East Dulwich / 29 Ewell Road, Brixton, London / 9 Strathleven Road, Arne Lane, Brixton, London, SW / 137, Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, London. Formerly clerk.

Separation Allowance 9/- a week.

Home 6th May 1915 to 3rd January 1917; BEF 4th January 1917 to 7th June 1917.

6th May 1915, enlisted & posted Depot, 3/1st, Kent Cyclist Battalion, Service No.1861; 23rd August 1915, appointed unpaid Lance Corporal; 27th November 1915, promoted Corporal; 10th February 1916, Purfleet, School of Musketry, qualified as First Class Instructor; 4th March 1916, promoted Acting Sergeant; 27th May 1916, posted 2/1st Kent Cyclist Battalion, & reverts to Private; 3rd June 1916, appointed unpaid Acting Lance Corporal; 19th June 1916, promoted Acting Corporal; 3rd January 1917, embarked / disembarked; 4th January 1917, 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment to 11th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 9th February 1917, joined 11th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, In the Field.

20th August 1917, letter to widow from Captain C J Stallard, Royal West Kent Regiment - Dear Madam, although it is now some two months ago that your husband the late Sergeant Harris of the 11th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, was killed in action, I feel I must write to express to you my deep regret & sincere sympathy with you in your ???? loss. I was your husbands Company Commander & the reason for my delay in writing to you is that I was myself somewhat severely wounded on the same day and was evacuated to England after some time in hospital in France. Sergeant Harris was a very gallant and efficient soldier and I shall greatly miss his services in the Company; for you the ???? ???? loss is an irreparable one, but I trust that the knowledge that in life he did his duty & in his death fell for his Country & family, may be of some comfort. Believe me, my dear Madam, yours very faithfully.

31st December 1917, pension of 15/- a week awarded to widow.

9th June 1920, Statement of Relatives - Widow, Edith Mary Harris, 137, Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, SE5; Children - none; Father, John Frederick Harris, 12 Hamilton Terrace, Shakespeare Road, Herne Hill; Mother, Mary Agnes Harris 12 Hamilton Terrace, Shakespeare Road, Herne Hill; Brothers - John Frederick Harris, age 29, Sheerness; William Edward Harris, age 19, 12 Hamilton Terrace, Shakespeare Road, Herne Hill; Sisters - Mary Agnes Turner, age 28, 13 Hamilton Terrace, Shakespeare Road, Herne Hill; Sophia Margaret Harris, age 17, 12 Hamilton Terrace, Shakespeare Road, Herne Hill.

Commemorated at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 45 and 47., Belgium.

This page was last updated on 23-Sep-2019.