The AIF Project

William HARRISS

Regimental number2117
Place of birthLondon, England
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationBlacksmith's striker
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation18
Height5' 4.5"
Weight124 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs Agnes Harriss, 55 Rose Terrace, Mile End, South Australia
Previous military serviceServed for 1 year in 77th Bn, Senior Cadets; still serving at time of AIF enlistment (previously rejected for Citizen Military Forces enlistment on account of height).
Enlistment date12 April 1915
Place of enlistmentKeswick, South Australia
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name12th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/29/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on 17 June 1915
Rank from Nominal RollLance Corporal
Unit from Nominal Roll12th Battalion
FateReturned to Australia 27 August 1917
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Photo: Peter Dennis
Discharge date9 November 1917
Family/military connectionsFather: 2118 Pte William Henry HARRISS, 4th Pioneer Bn, returned to Australia, 27 July 1917.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Tasken on strength, 12th Bn, Gallipoli, 6 August 1915.

Admitted to 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance, 7 August 1915, and transferred to No 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station, and then to Mudros (diarrhoea); to England, 28 September 1915, and admitted to Southern General Hospital, Southmead, Bristol, 11 October 1915.

Disembarked Alexandria from England, 5 March 1916

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 29 March 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 5 April 1916.

Appointed Lance Corporal, 9 September 1916.

Wounded in action, 5 August 1917 (bullet wound, left eye); admitted to 5th Field Ambulance, 6 May 1917, and transferred to 3rd Casualty Clearing Station; to 24th General Hospital, Etaples, 7 May 1917; to England, 14 May 1917, and admitted to Kitchener War Hospital, Brighton, 15 May 1917; transferred to Horton War Hospital, Epsom, 25 May 1917; discharged on furlough, 23 July 1917, to report to No 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, 6 August 1917.

Commenced return to Australia on board HMNZT 'Pakeha', 27 August 1917; disembarked Adelaide, 20 October 1917; discharged (medically unfit: loss of left eye), Adelaide, 9 November 1917.

War service: 2 years 212 days (of which 2 years 130 days were abroad)

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Death attributed to war service.
Date of death20 December 1943
Age at death46
Place of burialMacquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium, New South Wales
SourcesNAA: B2455, HARRISS William

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