South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Private 9745 Edward Charles HARRISON - 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment


Killed in Action on Sunday 3rd September 1916 aged 31


Military History

     
Theatre of War Medals Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France and Flanders 1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals Thiepval Memorial
     
Arrived in Theatre Medal Citation (if app) SWFHS Area Memorials
2 May 1915 in France ~ Warwick (Eleanor Cross) War Memorial
    Warwick All Saints
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed Date and Place Enlisted Warwick St. Paul's
Battle of Guillemont (Somme)  December 1914 in Warwick  
     
Place of Death Previous Regiments or Units Other War Memorials
near Ginchy  Pte 203097 Royal Warwickshire   
     

Circumstances of Death

Edward is listed as being killed in action on 3 Sep 1916. The 2nd Battalion War Diary entries for 2nd & 3rd Sept 1916 are transcribed below.
 
In the Field - 2nd: The Battalion paraded at 10am and Marched to Pommiers Redoubt. At 8pm A&B Coys moved up to Montauban Alley and C&D coys moved to Folly Trench
 
In the Field - 3rd: At 7am on the 3rd A&B Coy moved up from Montauban Alley and took up their assembly positions with C&D Coys in Folly Trench. Bn HQ was moved forward from here and took up their position 150yds W of Waterlot Farm where they remained for the rest of the operations. While in assembly positions we suffered casualties from enemy's shell fire Killed 1 OR, Wounded 8 OR.
 
At the zero hour which was 12 noon the companies passed ? advancing very steadily in artillery formation towards their objective. The order of the Coys was A on the right, then B & C, D coy which was on the left hand to form a defensive flank facing N along Ale Alley. At 1.40pm a runner in from OC D Coy saying that he was held up by Machine Guns in Hop & Ale Alleys and was diggin in in front of them.
 
At 1.43pm a runner arrive from Lt D.W. Arnott who was now commanding B Coy, Catp Wasey having been wounded, stating that he had reached the objective and was digging in. The objectives of A, B & C  Coys was the Blue Line which they had to consolidate it was on running through the W end of Ginchy. All companies reached their objectives & dug in. A&B Coys in touch but we got no news from C. Coy. The 20th Manchester Regt were reported to be through the village.
 
At 4.21pm we got a verbal message that the troops were leaving the village when this was found to be true and the heavy and the heavy casualties we had suffered were known it was decided to relieve the Brigade.
 
At 11pm HQ was moved to Folly Trench and later back to Pommiers Redoubt and few men came in but the majority of them were still holding their original objective in Ginchy.
 
One detached group of C&D Coys under Capt H.P. Williams Freeman and 2/Lt R.E Willis hung on for 36 hours? after the Bde was relieved. Another detached group of A Coys under Lt J. S. Harrowin and 2/Lt H. Sulman hung on in the S end of Ginchy for 3 days after the Brigade had been relieved being unable to get any communication. This was of great value to the position of the troops in Guillemont.
 
The casualites during the period were rather heavy (320):
Officers (all named): 2 Killed, 1 died of wounds, 6 wounded and 2 missing believed wounded.
Other Ranks: 26 killed, 7 died of wounds, 197 wounded and 90 missing.  END
 
Of the 26 killed the following men are also listed on South Warwickshire War Memorials:
  • Private 1155 Frederick William LINNETT - Stretton on Dunsmore
  • Private 1546 Robert Edward Henry MURDEN, MM - Brinklow
  • Private 10684 Ernest SUMNER - Long Itchington
  • Private 1095 Herbert Charles LEE
  • Private 9745 Edward Charles HARRISON


 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/Place Baptism Date/Place
Jul Qtr 1885 in Warwick 2 Aug 1885 at Warwick St. Paul's
   
Parents Names Abode
George and Mary Ann Harrison 35 Queens Square, Warwick
   
Wife and Marriage Details Children
Rose Harrison nee Horsman George Edward born 15 Aug 1906
Apr Qtr 1906 in Warwick  
   
Schools Colleges
  ~
   
Address History Employment History
1885 - Monk Street, Warwick 1901 -  General Labourer
1891 - Not found 1911 -  General Labourer
1901 - 35 Queens Square, Warwick  
1911 - 37 Queens Square, Warwick  
1915 - 37 Queens Square, Warwick