T Harris KRRC

[high wood]

This photograph shows Tom Harris of the King's Royal Rifle Corps as a prisoner of war at Alten Grabow in July 1918. I have found the following Thomas Harris's in the KRRC.

46765 Thomas R Harris

47104 Thomas Harris

R/2543 Thomas A Harris

S/4502 Thomas Harris

Does anyone know of any of these men were taken PoW?

I have a possible home address of 80 Jersey Road, Custom House, London E6

[apwright]

5/4502 Thomas HARRIS of West Ham, mother Ellen & brother William of 13 [possibly amended to 83] Jersey Rd, Custom House.

Posted missing with GSW left knee 1/12/17 serving with 11th Bn, confirmed PoW 8/12/17.

Service record on Ancestry.

Adrian

[grantowi]

1911:

HARRIS, Ellen Wife Married born 1861 in Stepney London

HARRIS, William Son Single Flour Miller born 1889 in Canning Town Essex

HARRIS, Elizabeth Daughter Single Mat Binder born 1892 in Canning Town Essex

HARRIS, Katherine Daughter Single Mat Trimmer born 1894 in Canning Town Essex

HARRIS, Thomas Son Single Shop Assistant born 1896 in Canning Town Essex

HARRIS, Annie Daughter School born 1899 in Canning Town Essex

HARRIS, Margaret Daughter School born 1901 in Canning Town Essex

Living at 80 Jersey Road, Custom House, West Ham, London

Grant

[MBrockway]

5/4502 Thomas HARRIS of West Ham, mother Ellen & brother William of 13 [possibly amended to 83] Jersey Rd, Custom House.

Posted missing with GSW left knee 1/12/17 serving with 11th Bn, confirmed PoW 8/12/17.

Adrian

That would have been during the German counter-attack at Cambrai. 296 ORs of 11/KRRC were listed as Missing after the enemy attack on 30 Nov 1917 and the succeeding days.

From the 11th Battalion War Record in the 1917 KRRC Chronicle:

"About 8.15 a.m. [30 Nov 1917] the enemy were reported to be attacking in force, having apparently broken through the next Division but one on our right, and rolled up the line from the flank. The enemy appeared suddenly, advancing from three directions, completely surrounding A Company of the outpost line, who were never seen again. The remainder withdrew on the main line, but they were so mixed up with the enemy that they masked the fire of the main line and eventually absolutely swamped it. Battalion Headquarters manned the gunpits [old German gunpits occupied as BHQ] until the main line went and then withdrew to the position of the supporting Battalion, but as there was no sign of this Battalion they continued their retirement until Brigade Headquarters was reached. Here a stand was made, the reserve Battalion came up, the enemy's advance was stopped, although several attacks were made and the position was heavily shelled."

They were in the Welsh Ridge area. [Edit: In fact they fell back towards Welsh Ridge and La Vacquerie. The original 59 Bde positions were on the ridge overlooking the W bank of the St Quentin Canal NE of Lateau Wood and W of Les Rues des Vignes, with 11/KRRC on the left and 10/KRRC on the right. 61st Bde were to their left holding the reaminder of the salient towards Crevecoeur and Masnieres. The enemy broke in through the 12th Division positions in Lateau Wood and attacked 10/KRRC, then 11/KRRC, from the flanks and from behind, while other enemy units simultaneously began a full frontal assault from the dead ground around the canal.

Losses in 10/KRRC, who being on the right flank were outflanked first, were even higher than those in 11/KRRC: the KRRC Chronicle reports the survivors totalled 4 officers and 16 ORs ]

Cheers,

Mark

[high wood]

Adrian and Grant,

many thanks for positively identifying Thomas Harris for me.

Mark,

thank you for the KRRC chronicle entry.

Simon.

[MBrockway]

Simon,

The "5/" prefix to his KRRC Service Number indicates he was a Special Reservist originally in 5/KRRC.

This is confirmed in his Pension Record on Ancestry where his career in brief is ...

30 Aug 1912 - attested aged 17 into 5/KRRC for 6 Years on the Special Reserve

28 Dec 1912 - completes initial Special Reserve training

08 Aug 1914 - mobilised

29 Nov 1914 - posted to 1/KRRC and embarked in France

04 Dec 1914 - joined 1/KRRC in the field

15-16 May 1915 - Wounded in Action in the field, passed up chain to 10 Stationary Hospital, St Omer

30 May 1915 - repatriated to 3rd Southern General hospital in Oxford - dangerous gunshot wound to left thigh. Posted to Rifles Depot.

06 Aug 1915 - posted back to 5/KRRC who were now at Fort Grain, on the Isle of Grain, and at Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey.

04 Aug 1916 - re-posted to 1/KRRC

05 Aug 1916 - embarked in France

13 Aug 1916 - re-posted to 11/KRRC - ?'D' Company

07 Sep 1916 - appointed (unpaid) L/Cpl

16 Oct 1916 - appointed paid L/Cpl

01-10 Oct 1917 - Home Leave

29 Nov 1917 - promoted Corporal

30 Nov 1917 - receives gun shot wound to left knee and is captured - Cambrai

01 Dec 1917 - listed as Missing

08 Dec 1917 - POW at Magdeburg (Report received 02 Feb 1918)

?? Dec 1917 - Operation on wounded knee at Sudenburg Hospital, Magdeburg

14 Jan 1919 - re-posted to 5/KRRC as L/Cpl (presumably on repatriation)

14 Apr 1919 - transferred to Class Z Reserve

31 May 1920 - assessed by Medical Board as 20% disabled due to War Service and ?granted pension

Lists previous employer as W Vernon & Son, 4 Lloyds Avenue, London EC where he was a Mill Hand. Elsewhere he is listed as Kitchen Porter.

He was qualified as a Signaller.

Interestingly his Attestation Form mentions he is also serving in the 17 Londons (Tower Hamlets Rifles).

Incidentally the correction to the listed address of 13 Jersey Road, Custom House appears to read "80 or 83".

I'm still looking into your other two POW riflemen, but no progress as yet. A large number of 10/KRRC and 11/KRRC were captured at Cambrai on 30 Nov & 01 Dec 1917, so I am focussing on these two battalions at present.

Cheers,

Mark

[high wood]

Mark,

many thanks for the efforts that you are making on my behalf. The photographs came in a batch of about eight all taken at Alten Grabow. I have identifed most of the soldiers which include:

K/1515 Pte George Gilson, Royal Fusiliers, of 11 Munden Street, Hammersmith Road, London W

G/18856 Pte Henry J Wedge, Royal West Kent Regt, of 23 Fladbury Road, Tottenham

G/14273 Pte Frank Lionel Baker, Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regt, of 68 Norwood Road, Herne Hill, London

Simon.

[27thBN]

Get stuff mark some info there i was very interested in thanks for the post.I have 2 COs from A and C companys medal groups and he info hit the spot nicely

Cheers Tony

[MBrockway]

I have 2 COs from A and C companys medal groups and the info hit the spot nicely

Cheers Tony

Tony,

Haven't checked my data, but just in case I don't have the detailed postings for all the officers, what were their names and who was CO for which Coy?

Glad you found the extract useful - rather chilling eh?

Cheers,

Mark

[27thBN]

Tony,

Haven't checked my data, but just in case I don't have the detailed postings for all the officers, what were their names and who was CO for which Coy?

Glad you found the extract useful - rather chilling eh?

Cheers,

Mark

Hi Mark ..Major H A DENISON OBE,MC and bar.. A company CO he was wounded bayonet to the CHEST Severely 21/11/17 and Lt L B J Mahar DSO,MC.. C company CO not sure his status at the time

Cheers and thanks..I have his service record(Thanks Louise) an inch higher and he would have been a goner cant imagine running on to a bayonet ....