HARRIS, George

George Harris lived at 17 Duke Street, Stourbridge, and two of his brothers were in the Royal Navy. He worked for Hill and Reading, grocers, and later Nickolls and Perks, before joining the Mercantile Marine at 16. He then enlisted in the Royal Navy and served on the Flower Class sloop, HMS Begonia. This vessel was launched in August 1915 and then converted as a Q Ship. These were crucial in the 1917 battle of the Atlantic against German submarines. Q ships were given the appearance of merchant ships in order to act as decoys. HMS Begonia was renamed 'Dolcis' and then 'Jessup', but on 6th October 1917 it collided with the German submarine, U 151, and was lost with all hands. George Harris was among those who died and on the 15th October a letter to his father stated that he was missing presumed dead. Able Seaman George Harris was 19 years of age and is commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial and Stourbridge, St. John's church and Methodist church Memorials.