Thomas James Harris

He rushed hidden machine guns and kept his battalion moving.

Thomas James Harris was born at Halling, Kent, on 30 January 1892, one of nine children. Known as Tom, he attended the village school and became a cement-works labourer. In August 1914, aged 22, he volunteered for the Army and joined the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Training took him to Colchester, Purfleet, Hythe and Aldershot before he went to France on 1 June 1915.

Harris became a lance corporal that summer. Wounded on 26 February 1916, he returned to his battalion in March and was promoted corporal on 1 June. A second wound, from shrapnel striking his right side on 2 July, required evacuation to England and a lengthy absence from the Western Front. He rejoined his battalion in France on 23 May 1917.

During the fighting of 1918, Harris became acting sergeant on 28 March. His Military Medal was announced in the London Gazette on 12 June, and his sergeant’s rank was confirmed on 24 June. His wartime service had taken him from a newly enlisted labourer to an experienced infantry non-commissioned officer.

On 9 August 1918, the second day of the Battle of Amiens, the 6th Royal West Kents attacked near Morlancourt with the 37th Brigade, 12th Division. German machine guns hidden among crops and in shell holes threatened to stop the advance. Harris led his section against one position, capturing the gun and killing seven German soldiers.

As the advance continued, two more machine guns inflicted heavy casualties. Harris attacked them in succession, going forward single-handed. He captured the first and killed its crew, but was killed while attacking the second. His repeated assaults helped the battalion press on without the delay and further losses those positions threatened to impose. He was 26.

Harris’s Victoria Cross was announced posthumously on 22 October 1918. He is buried in Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, France, in grave VIII. J. 20.

Official Victoria Cross citation London Gazette, Ninth Supplement, 22 October 1918, issue 30967, page 12487.

No. 358 Sjt. Thomas James Harris, M.M., late R.W. Kent R. (Lower Halling, Kent).

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in attack when the advance was much impeded by hostile machine guns concealed in crops and shell-holes. Sjt. Harris led his section against one of these, capturing it and killing seven of the enemy.

Later, on two successive occasions, he attacked single-handed two enemy machine-guns which were causing heavy casualties and holding up the advance. He captured the first gun and killed the crew, but was himself killed when attacking the second one.

It was largely due to the great courage and initiative of this gallant N.C.O. that the advance of the battalion was continued without delay and undue casualties. Throughout the operations he showed a total disregard for his own personal safety, and set a magnificent example to all ranks.