HARRIS, Keith
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Unit: | SS Matunga |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Milsons Point, North Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| Date unknown: | Involvement Merchant Navy, SS Matunga |
|---|
Help us honour Keith HARRIS's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
A Deck hand on S.S. Matunga. The SS Matunga was sailing from Sydney to Rabaul, New Britain, when the vessel was captured by the German Navy raider SMS Wolf on 6 August 1917. SMS Wolf escorted SS Matunga north west to Offak Bay on Waigeu Island (now West Papua, Indonesia) and a fortnight after arriving there, unloaded personnel and cargo and sank the ship. The crew and passengers from SS Matunga were taken onboard the SMS Wolf, eventually landed at Kiel, Germany, some six months later, and interned at a POW camp at Gustrow, Germany. Keith Harris remained there until he was repatriated to England in December 1918. He sent a cable stating "London Well - Love Xmas Greetings" to Mrs Harris, Northcliffe Street, Milsons Point, Sydney.
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