HARRIS, George
| Service Number: | 3085 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 August 1915, Enlisted at Holdsworthy (now Holsworthy) |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Lee, near Lewisham, Kent, England, August 1890 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Locomotive Cleaner |
| Died: | Died of wounds, United Kingdom, 3 August 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Hither Green Cemetery, London, England |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3085, 18th Infantry Battalion, Enlisted at Holdsworthy (now Holsworthy) | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 3085, 18th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 3085, 18th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suevic, Sydney | |
| 27 Jul 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 3085, 3rd Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , Wounded in both thighs by an explosive shell. Evacuated to England. Died of gas gangrene in England. | |
| 3 Aug 1916: | Involvement Private, 3085, 3rd Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3085 awm_unit: 3 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-08-03 |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
George HARRIS (Service Number 3085) was born at Lewisham, England in August 1890. By 1914 he was employed a casual cleaner at Eveleigh Locomotive Depot.
He was wounded in both thighs by a high explosive shell on 27th July 1916 near Pozières. He was immediately evacuated to England where he died of gas gangrene on 3rd August. He is buried in the Hither Green Cemetery, Verdant Lane, Catford.
Submitted 29 August 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 3rd August…… George Harris was born at Lee, near Lewisham, Kent, England in 1890.
According to information provided by his mother for the Roll of Honour – George Harris came to Australia when he was 21.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 9th August, 1915 as a 25 year old, single, Engine Cleaner (on Railways) from “Idsall”, Mallett Road, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW.
Private George Harris, Service number 3085, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Suevic (A29) on 20th December, 1915 with the 18th Infantry Battalion, 7th Reinforcements.
On 14th February, 1916 Private Harris was allotted to 3rd Battalion direct from Training Camp & was taken on strength of 3rd Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir on 14th February, 1916 from 18th Battalion.
He embarked from Alexandria on HMT Grampian on 22nd March, 1916 & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 28th March, 1916.
On 20th June, 1916 Private Harris was admitted to 2nd Australian Field Ambulance with Tonsilitis & was discharged to his Unit on 24th June, 1916. He rejoined his Unit in France on 24th June, 1916.
Private George Harris was wounded in action in France between 22 – 27th July, 1916 (dates as per Casualty Form – Active Service). He was admitted to No. 26 General Hospital at Etaples, France on 25th July, 1916 with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to Thigh (mild). Private Harris embarked from Calais, France on 28th July, 1916 on Hospital Ship Dieppe for England with G.S.W. Legs.
He was admitted to County of London War Hospital, Epsom, England on 28th July, 1916 with shrapnel wounds to both Legs – severe.
Private George Harris died on 3rd August, 1916 at County of London War Hospital, Epsom, England from wounds received in action in France -G.S.W. left Thigh & Malignant Oedema. The Hospital Admissions form recorded “Patient died of gas gangrene Aug 3. The leg was amputated Aug 2 ….”.
He was buried in Hither Green Cemetery, Verdant Lane, Catford, London, England and has a shared Private Headstone. His death is still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
George HARRIS (Service Number 3085) was born at Lewisham, England in August 1890.
He worked as a locomotive cleaner at Eveleigh Locomotive Depot.
He enlisted on 9 thAugust 1915 at Holdsworthy and embarked from Australia from Sydney on HMAT ‘Suevic’ on 20th December 1915.
He was taken on the strength of the 3rd Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir (Egypt), direct from a training battalion, in February 1916. He then went from Alexandria to Marseilles and France. After a bout of illness he re-joined the unit in June .
He was wounded in both thighs by a high explosive shell on 27th July near Pozières.
He was immediately evacuated to England where he died of gas gangrene on 3rd August 1916. He is buried in the Hither Green Cemetery, Verdant Lane, Catford.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
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