William Harris
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
William Harris was born in 1896 at Leek the son of Lancelot a blacksmiths striker and Mary Harris née Palmer of Leek Staffordshire. William married Sarah Ann Rhodes (born 26th October 1894) in 1915 at Mansfield, they lived at 5 Porters Street, Sutton in Ashfield, they had two children, Elsie born 3rd October 1915 and Mary born 26th August 1917. Commencing 8th July 1918 his widow was awarded a pension of 25 shillings and 5 pence a week.
He was killed aboard H.T Aragon. On arrival at Alexandria on December 30th, 1917, the Aragon was initially permitted to enter harbour, but was subsequently ordered out again. She anchored outside without any protection from submarine attack, for which she was an easy target and was duly torpedoed and sunk with a total loss of 610 officers and men of the Commonwealth forces, of whom 19 were crew. She sank quite quickly and trawlers and destroyers at once closed in to pick up those who had succeeded in jumping clear. The destroyer HMS Attack was one of those engaged in the rescue but was itself literally blown in two by a mine and disappeared with 10 of her crew and many of those she had just taken on board. Buried in Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery Row D Grave 283
The German submarine responsible was UC 34 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Horst Obermüller. UC 34, a mine laying submarine, was scuttled on the 30th October 1918 at Pola on the surrender of Austro-Hungary The CWGC lists the casualties as 380, but is s only those remembered on the Chatby Memorial His brother Private 23487 Lancelot Harris of the Royal Welch Fusiliers was killed in action on 13th November 1916 having no known grave his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
