HARRIS, James Harold
| Service Numbers: | 2431, 2431A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 31 March 1916, Enlisted at Royal Agricultural Society Showground, Sydney. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Randwick, New South Wales, Australia , 1 August 1889 |
| Home Town: | Leichhardt, Leichhardt, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tramway Linesman's Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 7 June 1917, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Leichhardt War Memorial, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient) |
World War 1 Service
| 31 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2431, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Enlisted at Royal Agricultural Society Showground, Sydney. | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Aug 1916: | Involvement Private, 2431, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 24 Aug 1916: | Embarked Private, 2431, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Anchises, Sydney | |
| 7 Jun 1917: | Involvement Private, 2431A, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2431A awm_unit: 45 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-06-07 |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
James Harold HARRIS, (Service Number 2431A) was born on 1 August 1889 at Randwick. He began working for the NSW Tramways as a linesman’s labourer based at Ultimo in February 1911 and remained in that position until he was released from duty to join the Expeditionary Forces on 31 March 1916. That same day he enlisted at the RAS Showgrounds and was allotted to the 45th Australian Infantry Battalion.
On 16 June 1917 he was posted missing in action, since 7 June and on 29 July 1917 this was changed to killed in action, near Hill 60 at Messines. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres. Flanders
Submitted 29 August 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by John Oakes
James Harold HARRIS (Service Number 2431A) was born on 1st August 1889 at Randwick. He began working for the NSW Tramways as a linesman’s labourer based at Ultimo in February 1911 and remained in that position until he was released from duty to join the Expeditionary Forces on 31st March 1916. That same day he enlisted at the RAS Showgrounds and was allotted to the 45th Australian Infantry Battalion. At the time he gave his brother as his next of kin, but this was later changed to his mother Alice Maude, who was living at Alexandria.
He left Australia from Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Anchises’ on 24th August 1916 and reached Devonport (England) on 11th October. He had spent time in the ship’s hospital.
Whilst in England awaiting transfer to France, he was disciplined for being Absent Without Leave and forfeited 10 days’ pay. He proceeded overseas on SS ‘Princess Clementine’ and was taken on the strength of the 45th Battalion on New Year’s Day 1917. He was almost immediately hospitalised with a septic heel and re-joined the Battalion on 18th January.
On 16th June 1917 he was posted missing in action, since 7th June. On 29th July 1917 this was changed to killed in action, near Hill 60 at Messines. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres. Flanders
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board