George Joseph Harris

George Joseph Harris

Personal Information
Date of Birth	1891
Place of Birth	Arthur River near Wagin, Western Australia
Death	1974
Place of Death	Narrogin, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	25 years, 5 months
Description	5'8" (1.72m) tall ; 143lbs 64.864 kg ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Labourer
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	Wagin, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr George Albert Harris
Military Information
Reg Number	7262
Date of Enlistment	14 Nov 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, 24th Reinforcement
Date of Embarkation	29 Jan 1917 ‒ 27 Mar 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A28 Miltiades Fremantle to Devonport
Date of Return	7 Feb 1919 ‒ 11 Mar 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Lancashire
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Gosnells Primary School Honour Roll
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Had attended the Gosnells Primary School. In 1913 his father was an orchardist on Albany road, Gosnells with his second wife Margaret Wilkinson who had a son John Wilkinson, hence his entry on Gosnells Honour Roll.

War Service

Entered Blackboy Hill camp on 14 Nov 1916 and was allocated to the 94th Depot Company. Two weeks later he was transferred to the 24th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion, travelling with them to England where they disembarked in Devonport.

On arrival in England he was sent to the 3rd Training Battalion at Durrington. Following 6 months training in England, George proceeded overseas to France via Southampton on 9 Oct 1917, and on 16 Oct 1917 he was taken on strength by the 11th Battalion, having arrived in their camp the day before along with 93 other reinforcements.

On 12 Jan 1918 he was seen by the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance who treated him for Trench Feet. Passed on to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station who treated him until his release and return to his unit on 4 Feb 1918.

However, on 13 Feb 1918 he was again in need of medical attention and was seen first by the 1st Australian Field Ambulance before being treated by the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance and the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station from 28 Mar 1918 until 31 Mar 1918 when he was admitted to the 2nd Canadian Stationary Hospital in Calais. On 2 Apr 1918 he was embarked on the HS Jan Breydel for England with Laryngitis. Admitted the same day to the Shorncliffe Military Hospital with Tachycardia - slight. (Fast or irregular heart beat). George was released to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 6 May 1918, and following further treatment he was sent to the No 2 Command Depot at Dartford on 14 May 1918. Transferred to Weymouth on 14 May 1918.

From 25 Oct 1918 until 26 Dec 1918 George was treated for Gonorrhoea in the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford. He had first received treatment for VD 12 months earlier at Lark Hill. (Non effective service was 63 days)

George returned to Australia on SS Lancashire where he was admitted to the 8th Australian General Hospital in Fremantle. Here he was charged with being AWOL from 10:00am on 10 Apr 1919 until 10:00am on 11 Apr 1919. He was admonished and lost a day's pay. Discharged by the 5th Military District on 15 May 1919.

Post War

During 1923 George married Susan Watkins at Katanning.

Notes

While George's Military records make no mention of a Gosnells connection, he and his brother Albert John Harris are listed on the Gosnells Primary School Honour Roll as ex students who served overseas.