Thomas James Harris VC MM

b. 30/01/1892 Halling, Kent. d. 09/08/1918 Morlancourt, France.

Thomas James Harris (1892-1918) known as Tom, was born on 30th January 1892 at 5 Monarch Hill Terrace, Halling, near Rochester, Kent. His father, William Thomas Harris was a general labourer at Halling cement works. He married Sarah Ann Pankhurst on 10th April 1879 at Halling, Kent. By 1891, due to an accident at work, William was crippled in both hands. Tom had eight siblings.

Tom was educated at Halling Council School, Halling from 7th July 1896. He worked as a labourer, possibly at Hilton’s & Anderson’s Manor Works in Halling. In the 1911 Census he is listed as a labourer in a cement works. He enlisted at the Halling Institute on 27th August 1914. He joined 6th Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment and moved with it to Colchester, Essex and Purfleet before Hythe, Kent in December. The Battalion moved to Aldershot in February 1915 and proceeded to operational service in France on 1st June. He was appointed unpaid lance corporal on 9th July and was promoted lance corporal on 1st October.

Thomas J Harris VC MM

During the period 26th February 1916 and 2nd July 1916, he was wounded on two occasions. Following the first occasion on 26th February 1916 he was admitted to hospital from 27th February to 4th March and returned to duty on 12th March 1916 (no further details are available). On 2nd July 1916 he received a shrapnel wound to his right side which entailed his return to England on a hospital ship and his admission to hospital between 8th July and 25th August 1916, with his return to France on 23rd. May 1917.

He was awarded the Military Medal for his actions on the Ancre in the Anthuille area between 25th-28th March 1918. He was appointed acting sergeant on 28th March. He was confirmed in the rank on 24th June with seniority from 28th March. Tom was wounded again on 1st July with shrapnel in the hands and was admitted to 37th Field Ambulance. He returned to the Battalion on 20th July.

On 9th August 1918 at Morlancourt, France, 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.

Thomas Harris was buried in Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, The Somme, France and he was posthumously awarded the VC on 22nd October 1918. Tom’s platoon commander, Lieutenant SJ Uphold, wrote to his mother on a few occasions. His letter of 12th October 1918 told her that the VC had been awarded, having just been informed by his CO in France. Upfold was awarded the Military Cross for his part in the same action.

The VC was presented to Tom’s parents by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 23rd November 1918. The MM was sent to his parents by registered post on 28th February 1919. A German field gun was installed next to the lychgate of Halling Parish Church in the 1920s as a memorial to Tom Harris VC MM. It was removed during the Second World War for scrap and was not replaced with another memorial. Tom is commemorated elsewhere with Thomas Harris Close in Halling, Kent, a war memorial inside Halling Parish Church, on the new Halling War Memorial in Forge Green, Halling, and with a VC commemorative stone place at Halling War Memorial unveiled on 11th November 2018.

In addition to his VC and MM, he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal 1914-19. They were held by Tom’s brother, Herbert, who passed them on to another brother, Frederick. However, Herbert’s son, Frank, felt that the medals should go to the Regiment. Frederick agreed and they were handed to the Queen’s Own West Kent Regiment Museum, Maidstone, Kent at a ceremony attended by Colonel Donald Dean VC on 20th July 1971. The medals are still held by the Museum.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: QUEEN’S OWN ROYAL KENT REGIMENT MUSEUM, MAIDSTONE, KENT.

BURIAL PLACE: DERNANCOURT CEMETERY, FRANCE.

PLOT VIII, ROW J, GRAVE 20