Biography of Private Harold Philip Harris (26458)
6th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
Formerly 8th and 1st Lincolnshire Regiment
Died 23rd October 1917

Mother

• Name: Mary Elizabeth Hart
• DOB: 25th August 1860
• Place Of Birth: Renhold, Bedfordshire, England
• Marriage: 1886 Bourne District

Relatives in services

• Harold’s brother Wilfred Hart also fought and was killed in WW1. Harold can be found on our page dedicated to the Sempringham War Memorial.

Marriage

• No marriage for Harold has been found and we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Newspaper Mentions:

• Grantham Journal Saturday 21st April 1917
  POINTON
  TWO OF OUR LOCAL BOYS have been wounded since the great offensive commenced. Pte. Edwain Bristow, son of Mr. Mark Bristow has received a wound in the knee, and Pte. Harold Haris, son of Mr. Philip Harris, has been wounded in the arm. Both are in the Lincolns.

• Lincolnshire Echo Tuesday 1st May 1917
  LINCOLNSHIRE DAY BY DAY
  News has been received that another son of Mr. Philip Harris, of Pointon, Billingboro’, viz., Pte. George Harris, Lincolnshire Regiment, has been wounded in action, and is now in a hospital in Scotland.  This is the second time this young soldier has been disabled, and on the first occasion he was sent to convalesce in the local military hospital, and made a good recovery from a fresh wound in the leg. It is only a week or two ago since news was received that another son, Pte. Harold Harris, was wounded whil fighting in France.

• Grantham Journal Saturday 5th May 1917
  BILLINGBOROUGH
  KILLED, WOUNDED AND MISSING:- Another of our brave boys has made the great sacrifice. We refer to Pte Ed. Chapman (Lincolnshire Regiment, T.F.) aged 27, whose father Mr J E Chapman, Crown Hotel, on Saturday received an official telegram stating that his son was dangerously ill aboard suffering from severe gunshot wound in the right thigh. This was followed  on Monday by another wire stating that he had succumbed. Pte Chapman was well known and much liked. He assisted his father, the local agent for Messrs Warwicks and Richardsons Ltd., and was at one time secretary of the Town F. C. News has also been received that Pte Fred Harrison, son of Mr H.C. Harrison, corn merchant, has been wounded by shrapnel in the face, arm and leg on April 21st. He was the first to enlist from here, under the late Lord Kitchener’s appeal and joined the Lincolns being transferred to a Machine Gun Corps. In France he has had some hairbreadth escapes. Only a week before he told of the explosion of an ammunition dump while his party were crossing a bridge, which was blown up and he with it but as he cheerily remarked his luck stuck to him and got off with a few bruises and a shaking. He has also had his riffle smashed in his hand by enemy fire and has been blown out of the trenches. His letter is in most cheerful terms and he says he is in a fine hospital on the coast. Mr Philip Harris of Pointon has also heard from his son Pte George Harris (Lincolns) stating that he has been wounded and is now in a hospital at Paisley. A short time ago he received gunshot wound in the leg and was sent to Horbling V.A.D. Hospital, where he made a good recovery. Only a week or two ago news was received that another son Pte Harold Harris (Lincolns) had been wounded in the leg. He is making satisfactory progress. There are two other sons of this family fighting in France. Another local bot – Pte T Dawson (York and Lancaster Regiment), who has been wounded twice previously, has again been disabled. He is a son of Mr Tom Dawson and brother to Mr Edward Dawson, carrier. Mrs Johnson of High Street and her friends are much concerned at the absence of news of her son Pte Walter Carrington (Lincoln Regiment) , who has not been heard of for many week. This is a most patriotic family, for there were six boys in the Army, but one of them (James), who was wounded has been discharged. The others are Lance Corpl. Arthur Johnson (Lincolns), Cyclist H. Johnson, Pte F. Johnson (Lincolns) and W Johnson. Another local boy – Gunner Martin Spencer (R.G.A) has not been heard of for quite a long time and letters addressed to him have been returned.

• War Office Weekly Casualty List, November 27th 1917
  DIED OF WOUNDS
  LINCOLNSHIRE REGIMENT
  Harris 26458 H. P. (Pointon)

• Lincolnshire Echo Friday 27th June 1919
  LINCOLNSHIRE DAY BY DAY
  The villiage of Pointon has suffered a sad bereavement by the death of Private Wilfred Hart Harris, who has succumbed at the residence of his parents from the effects of being gassed whilst fighting in France last August.  The deceased was the third son of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Harris, of Pointon, is the second son they have lost in the great war.  He was admitted to the local V.A.D. Hospital at Horbling, after treatment elsewhere, on Feb 25th, and a few days previous to the demobilisation of that institution was removed to his home, where a trained nurse was engaged to attend him, but without avail.  The funeral at Sempringham Abbey churchyard was attended by many relatives and friends, and amongst the large number were many associated with the Hospital, including the Commandant, the Sister-in-Charge, and nurses.  The floral tokens were beautifal and numerous.

Military Records

Medals

• The British Medal
• The Victory Medal

Memorials

• UK:
• Sempringham, Roll of Honour in St Andrew’s Abbey Church

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
• In memory of Private Harold Philip Harris, 26458, 6th Bn., Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 23 October 1917 Age 30
• Son of Philip and Mary Elizabeth Harris, of Pointon, Billingborough, Lincs.
• Remembered with honour, Loos British Cemetery
• Grave XX. E. 28.

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

• This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

Sources

• WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
• British Newspaper Archive.
• Fold 3
• Find My Past
• Genealogist
• Forces War Records
• British Army Service Numbers
• War Gratuity Calculator
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• National Archives – Battalion War Diaries
• General Registry Office