HARRIS, Bert
| Service Number: | SX15066 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 November 1941, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Cowell, Franklin Harbour - South Australia, Australia, 16 August 1910 |
| Home Town: | Cowell, Franklin Harbour, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Cowell School |
| Occupation: | Fuel Agent |
| Died: | 13 July 2007, aged 96 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Cowell Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Cowell Franklin Harbour WW2 Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 5 Nov 1941: | Enlisted Private, SX15066, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Nov 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, SX15066, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion | |
| 6 Nov 1941: | Involvement Private, SX15066 | |
| 21 Feb 1946: | Discharged Private, SX15066, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion | |
| 21 Feb 1946: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, SX15066, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Beverley Stocker
Son of Lucy. Husband of Margaret (Forbes) FAther of Margaret, Peter, Stephen, Colleen and Andrew. Lived to age 96
Biography contributed by Cowell Area School
Bert Harris
On August 16th, in the year of 1910 BERT Harris was born at Cowell, South Australia. He grew up in Cowell with his mother Lucy and was educated at the Cowell school. After school Bert worked on a farm where he was a general labourer and a driver.
Bert Harris enlisted on the 5th of November 1941 in Adelaide, aged 31. After enlisting Bert went into guerrilla warfare training during May-June of 1942.
Bert joined the 2/48th Battalion in September 1942. He was with the 2/48th for the remainder of his time in the army, serving a total of 642 days overseas including 184 days in the Middle East, 204 days in New Guinea and 254 days in Morotai.
A free spirit- Bert came up against the authority of the army regularly, being reprimanded at different times for: Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline (gambling); Going from place of parade before being released; Failing to appear at the place of parade appointed by the Commanding Officer; Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline (again) and being Absent Without Leave from 1400h to 1030h.
During his service Bert suffered greatly with ill health - including contracting measles, bouts of abdominal pain, diarrhoea, scrub typhus, malaria, varicos veins and wasting muscles. However, ever resilient, Bert persisted and served for a total of 1570 days before being discharged in February 1946.
After the war, Bert returned to Cowell and married Margaret Forbes. They had 5 children, (Margaret, Peter, Stephen, Colleen & Andrew).
Bert is fondly remembered in Cowell for his booming voice and his love of his faithful dog, Blacky. Such was the bond between the two that when Bert was in his final years and had to spend time in the Cowell Hospital, the staff arranged a bed outside his hospital window for Blacky to lay on. Bert died in 2007 aged 96 years. He is buried at the Cowell cemetery.
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