The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private T Harris

Private Thomas HARRIS, L/10132, 1st Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, died, (executed), in the Ypres Salient, Flanders France, 21st June 1915.

Born Greenwich, SE, son of Elijah Harris, 96 Blackwall, East Greenwich.

Brothers - Walter & James Harris.

Previously served in 3rd Battalion, Special Reserve, Royal West Kent Regiment, 8625, from 20th November 1912 to 20th April 1913. Character described as good.

Enlisted Gravesend, Kent, age 18 years & 6 months, height 5ft 5½ inches, weight 117lbs, fresh complexion, blue eyes, golden hair, birth mark over left ankle, and part of the left hand index finger gone, mole back of neck, scar below left eye. Formerly indoor servant.

Home, 21st April 1913 to 13th August 1914; BEF France, 14th August 1914 to 21st June 1915.

21st April 1913, enlisted & posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 20th May 1913, posted 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 26th August 1914 to 28th May 1915, absent; 9th June 1915, father states he has received a letter purporting to come from this soldier, from 61 Grande Rue, Les Mureaux, Seine-et-Oise, saying he is a Corporal in the Royal Militaire Police; 9th June 1915, Base Commandant, Rouen, asked to investigate;

21st June 1915, report to Base Commandant, Rouen - In reply to your letter dated 14/6/15, concerning enquiries to be made in the commune des Mureaux (Seine-et-Oise) in order to trace No.10132. Private T Harris, 1st battalion, Royal West Kents, absent from his unit since 26th August 1914, I beg to forward to ??? the following report of the Gendarmerie of Meulan who was directed ???? me to enquire into the case. Madame HILL nee POSYR, 45 years old, charwoman, living in Les Mureaux, 61 Grande Rue, met in December 1914 a British Soldier who told her his name was Thomas Harris, No.10132. Military policeman whose duty was to look for deserters. This soldier called several times on her up to April 1915. In the course of May she heard that he had been arrested for a theft by inspectors of the Paris 1st Brigade. At present time he is supposed to be at the front in the Royal West Kent Regiment, as it appeared from a letter which she received from him in early June;

Tried by Field General Court Martial for desertion, sentenced to suffer death by being shot, sentence carried out at 4.55am on 21st June 1915.

Buried at Perth Cemetery (China Wall), V. K. 14, Belgium.

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