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Can anyone help with this chappie

S

skylark

Proud to be a Brummie !!
I wonder if anyone can fill in the background to this poor chap who died in WW1.....There is nothing on Ancestry...

Bernard Arthur Harris
KIA 24/10/1917

Gunner No. 199106

ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY
"D" Bty 330th Brigade

Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 4 - 6 & 162

"Remembered with Honour"
Son of Thomas & Harriet Harris of Welford on Avon Warwickshire.

Many thanks,
Margaret.
 
1911 census:

Name: Relationship to head: Marital Status: Years married: Sex: Age in 1911: Occupation: Where born:

HARRIS, THOMAS HEAD MARRIED M 52 SUBPOSTMASTER WELFORD ON AVON GLOS
HARRIS, HARRIET ELIZABETH WIFE MARRIED 20 F 53 ASSISTING IN THE BUSINESS WELFORD ON AVON GLOS
HARRIS, MARION GERTRUDE DAUGHTER SINGLE F 16 GENERAL DOMESTIC SERVANT WELFORD ON AVON GLOS
HARRIS, BERNARD ARTHUR SON SINGLE M 15 TELEGRAPH MESSENGER WELFORD ON AVON GLOS
HARRIS, ELSIE CAROLINE DAUGHTER F 13 WELFORD ON AVON GLOS
HARRIS, GEOFFREY DUNDONALD SON M 11 SCHOOL WELFORD ON AVON GLOS

HARRIS BERNARD ARTHUR (RG14PN18799 RG78PN1122 RD394 SD2 ED18 SN49)

Address POST-OFFICE WELFORD-ON-AVON STRATFORD-ON-AVON County Warwickshire District Stratford on Avon Subdistrict Stratford on Avon Enumeration District 18 Parish

Hmm, the layout doesn't save well - try this MS word version.
 
here is the family in 1901 in welford

thomas harris 42 sub postmaster
harriett e 43
edith a 15
eva m 12
roland h 9
bernard a 5
elsie c 3
geoffrey d 1

all born welford glouc.
 
On An***try:

Name: Bernard Arthur Harris
Residence: Birmingham
Death Date: 24 Oct 1917
Enlistment Location: Birmingham
Rank: Gunner
Regiment: Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery
Number: 199108
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theater of War: Aldershot

Aldershot???
The number is slightly different, is this a different man?
 
Lloyd,

I think, but not sure, that those that are 'theatre of war 'Aldershot', died in France. Terry or Chris would know.

Ann
 
My thanks for all your input on the background family history on Bernard...

I got the info on him from the GWGC & they have his number as 199106... but mistakes do happen on any site.... I would really now like to know if possible the story of any battles that the Royal Field Artillery were involved in at the time of Bernards death in battle ????

Best regards,
Margaret.
 
Unfortunataly, Di and Margaret, the point about the medal roll showing the man's unit is not usually true of the RFA. Infantrymen's battalions are almost always shown; artillerymen's units hardly ever. Still worth a look but don't bank on it.

If we assume that he served with the same unit right up to his death (D Battery of 330 Brigade RFA), I can tell you this much:

330 Bde was one of the artillery units belonging to 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division. Here is the Great War history of the Division: https://www.1914-1918.net/66div.htm

Bernard Harris died in the latter stages of the Third Battles of Ypres 1917 (better known as Passchendaele). The batteries were in action in the area of the (totally obliterated) village of Poelcapelle at this time.

https://www.1914-1918.net/whatartbrig.htm tells you what a RFA brigade comprised.

By the way, RFA brigades are usually shown by Roman numerals, so if you are searching don't forget to look for CCCXXX Brigade.

Hope that helps!
 
Many thanks to you Chris for the very detailed info that you have given me...armed with this info I do feel able to do some background digging now....I really appreciate this valuable information...

Regards & again my thanks,
Margaret.
 
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