Name
Charles William Harris
1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/07/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
12906
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POND FARM CEMETERY
P. 1
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Albans Citizens Memorial,
Town Hall (old) Memorial, St Albans,
St Saviour's Church Memorial, St Albans,
Tabernacle Baptist Church, St Albans
Pre War
Charles William Harris was born in St Albans in 1896 to Harry (B: 1872) and Rose (nee Turner), (B: 1868).
In 1901 the family are living at 36 Bedford Road, St Albans, father Harry is a Railway labourer. Charles is living with his sisters Clara Mabel 9, Lilian Martha 3, Ellen (or Helen) Maud 1, brother Harry Thomas 7, and grandmother Martha Harris 57 a widow.
By 1911 the family have moved to 39 Walton Street, St Albans and the family is now made up of 9 children. Charles is working as a grocer’s errand boy.
Wartime Service
According to the Herts Ad report Charles enlisted in August 1914. At his death on 25th July 1917 he was Private 12906 of the 6th Division Bedfordshire Regiment.
Newspaper report of the Herts Advertiser 11th August 1917
Pte C W Harris
Another of the brave Bedfordshires gone
Mr H Harris of 39 Walton street, St Albans, has received information that his second son, Pte C W Harris of the Beds Regiment has been killed in action. Pte Harris joined the army in August 1914 and went to France in July 1915. At the time of the Big Push, July 1916 he was wounded and again in April 1917. Mrs Harris has received a very sympathetic letter from the officer in command of the Company his boy was in.
This officer writes:- “I am afraid you have already learnt that you son Pte C W Harris of this Company was killed in action on the morning of July 25th. I have known Pte Harris practically ever since his enlistment, as he was one of our original men, Just as I was one of the original officers of ------ Company. Your son was one of the best men we have ever had or ever hope to have, and had been, as you know, with us the whole time. I saw him hit the first time at Contalmaison and was in the same trench about four yards away, when he was killed. We were in the trenches near Menances and suddenly, at 2 am, a piece of trench, where most of us were, was heavily shelled. The heavy shell landed on a Lewis gun detachment, killing two men, of whom your son was one, and wounding three or four more. Your son was buried by the falling earth and died before we could get him out, although some men immediately started to try and do so. His death must have been almost instantaneous. We carried him right back behind the old British line, and buried him in a cemetery about four and a half miles east of Bailleul. Before enlistment, Pte Harris was employed by Mr King, grocer, St Peter’s Street, St Albans. He was twenty two years of age, and has another brother in the Royal Fusiliers, who is now in France."
Biography
Acknowledgments
Helen Little
Gareth Hughes
