S1339
HARRIS, Alfred Charles
| Service Number: | 1545 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 8th Mobile Veterinary Section |
| Born: | Port Adelaide, South Australia, 15 February 1891 |
| Home Town: | Millicent, Wattle Range, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Sisters of St Josephs, Macclesfield |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Berri, South Australia, 26 April 1973, aged 82 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Barmera (Upper Murray) Garden of Memory Cemetery |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 1545, 9th Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Nov 1915: | Involvement Private, 1545, 9th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Nov 1915: | Embarked Private, 1545, 9th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide | |
| 9 Sep 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 8th Mobile Veterinary Section, Alfred Charles Harris transferred from the 9th Light Horse Regiment to the 8th Mobile Veterinary Section on the 9th of September 1916. | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Trooper, 1545 | |
| 3 Oct 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 1545, 8th Mobile Veterinary Section | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 1545, 8th Mobile Veterinary Section |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
Alfred Charles Harris was born on the 15th of February 1891 in either POrt Adelaide or Curramulka, South Australia (records are contridictory). Alfred had 5 siblings and 1 half sibling. He had two sisters Beatrice Mary Ann Harris Dean and Mary Catherine Louisa Harris, and three brothers, Edward Albert Harris, William James Harris , and Rowland Harris . His Half sibling was Percy Stanley Bowden. Two of his brothers also fought in World War 1; Rowland (Service number: 4150) and William (Service number: 1626) His mother and father were Louisa (Blackwell) Harris and Edward Harris. His father died in 1898 and mother died in 1919 so Alfred Charles Harris was a ward of the state. His schooling was by the Sisters of St Joseph in Macclesfield, a small town situated in the Adelaide Hills. Before enlisting Alfred’s occupation was a Labourer.
At age 24 Alfred Charles Harris enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on the 23rd of August 1915. Alfred Charles Harris’ appearance was dark complexion with brown hair and dark eyes. At the time of his enlistment his attestation papers recorded his appearance ass 5 foot 1 ½ inches and weighed 122lbs (55kgs) with chest measurements of 32-35 inches. When tested, he had perfect vision in both eyes and he had two vaccination marks on his right arm. Alfred received training in Adelaide, South Australia before then embarking overseas.
He embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on board the HMAT A2 Geelong on the 18th of November 1915. Like many men of Light Horse units, he was stationed to the Middle East, where many of the Australian mounted units served across Egypt and Palestine.
Alfred served in the 9th Light Horse Regiment during his service. He served in the Middle East during 1916 and was transferred to the 8th Mobile Vet Section in August, providing essential veterinary care to horses and other animals used for transport and support on the front lines during the war.
In April 1917 he spent a couple of weeks in hospital due to an unknown illness and rejoined his unit once recovered. He returned to hospital 20th of October 1917, three days later on the 23rd he was transferred to the 14th Australian General hospital with Pyrexia. He was diagnosed with influenza and after time in hospital rested at Convalescent Depot. He returned to his unit in early January 1918. In August 1918 he was detached to 4th Light Horse Regiment.
Alfted returned to Australia on the ship Oxfordshire and disembarked in Port Adelaide 10 August 1919.
After the war Alfred Charles Harris married a woman named Ida. They had 5 children: Jock, Ray, Betty, Bruce and Peggy.
Alfred passed away at 82 years old on the 27th of April 1973 and is buried at the Barmera Cemetery.
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