HARRIS, Benjamin

Benjamin Harris was the son of William and Sarah Harris of 10 Church Lane, Halesowen, and attended Halesowen C of E school. He enlisted in the Hampshire Regiment and was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. By June 1918 the Allied armies had survived the great 1918 offensives of the German army but had been forced to retreat across the 1916 battlefield. In August they started the Advance to Victory and began to cross the old Somme terrain. The German army was still powerful and losses were taken. Among them was Private Benjamin Harris who was killed in action on the 24th August 1918. He was 19 years of age and is buried in Méaulte Military Cemetery (B 5) near Albert and commemorated on the Halesowen and Halesowen C of E school Memorials.