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| 17 Apr 2019 | |
| History |
Lieut. H. R. Harris PS (1901-04) was the elder son of Mr and Mrs John Parrott Harris of Wrayfield, Reigate. After Tonbridge, he was with a firm on the stock exchange before leaving for India to work for Phipson & Co. Here he joined the Bombay Light Horse became trumpeter to that corps. In December 1915, he obtained permission from his firm to return to England to serve and received a commission in the Special Reserve of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. He sailed for Salonika in the following September, where he served for over two years. He was for long at the Battery Observation Point in the Balkans, where the climatic conditions were very bad. Though he suffered from intermittent malaria during all this period, he never went into hospital. In July 1917 he was promoted Lieutenant and was later posted as Brigade Orderly Officer to the 1st Trench Mortar Brigade, Salonika, on its formation. He acted as 2nd in command, and oversaw the Brigade camp, transport and ammunition supplies. Having obtained leave and left Salonika before the Armistice, he was taken ill with influenza in the train whilst passing through France. He had to be left at the Military Hospital in St Germains where he died of pneumonia on November 20th, 1918. His younger brother, Capt. Claude Leslie Harris (PS 1902-06), died at Jericho, on May 2nd, 1918, of wounds received the previous day, whilst serving with the 19th Brigade, R.H.A., Australian Mounted Division. To find out more about Tonbridge and The Great War, visit our online archives at: www.tonbridgeschoolheritage.co.uk Or, contact Archivist, Bev Matthews at: E: beverley.matthews@tonbridge-school.org |
