Apr 10, 1894

Born in Buckingham, Quebec to William Edward and Minnie (nee Hartley) Harris

Jun 21, 1916

Attested into the 207^th Battalion CEF in Ottawa, Ontario 

Ø      Number 246528

Ø      Next of kin given as Mrs. Vera A. Harris, wife, 336 Gladstone Ave., Ottawa, Ontario

Ø      Previous occupation given as Clerk

Ø      No previous military experience given

Ø      Religion given as Church of England 

The battalion trained in the Rockcliffe Camp

Aug 8, 1916

Appointed to the provisional rank of Corporal

Jan 18, 1917

The battalion left Ottawa and proceeded to Amherst, Nova Scotia to continue training

Jun 2, 1917

Embarked the SS Olympic in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Jun 9, 1917

Disembarked in Liverpool, England and proceeded to Seaford where the battalion was absorbed into the 7^th Reserve Battalion to continue training

Jul 26, 1917

Appointed to the rank of Acting Corporal with pay

Sep 11, 1917

Reverted to the rank of Private at his own request in order to proceed to a fighting battalion in France

Sep 12, 1917

Transferred to the 21^st Battalion

Sep 13, 1917

Arrived at the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry Base Depot) in Etaples, France as part of a draft of 42 reinforcements from England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21^st Battalion

Sep 27, 1917

After leaving the CIBD he joined the CC Rein C (Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp) in Villers Au Bois.  The following day the CC Rein C moved to a new camp in Calonne Ricouart

Oct 18, 1917

Private Harris left the CC Rein C and joined the 21^st Battalion in billets in Ourton, France.  The battalion was practicing for the upcoming attack on Passchendaele

Nov 3, 1917

The previous day the 21^st Battalion had moved into the Passchendaele front near Crest Farm and on the morning of November 3, the Germans mounted an attack on the front and Private Harris received severe shrapnel wounds to his abdomen.  He was evacuated first to the field ambulance for first aid and then transferred to the No. 17 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) for treatment

Nov 4, 1917

Having been with the battalion just over 2 weeks, Private Harris died of his wounds while at the No. 17 CCS and was buried in the nearby Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.

Following the war the British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny), Scroll and Memorial Cross were sent to his widow, Mrs. VA Griffin, (she had remarried December 2, 1919) 144 Slater St., Ottawa, Ontario 

A second Memorial Cross was sent to his mother, Mrs. WE Harris, 116 Creighton St., Ottawa, Ontario

Private Harris is also honoured on the grave marker on the family plot in the Beechwood Cemetery, Ottawa, Ontario