PRIVATE 32399 ARTHUR HARRISON, 2/6th BATTALION SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT.


PRIVATE 32399 ARTHUR HARRISON, 2/6th BATTALION SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT. DIED OF WOUNDS, 7th DECEMBER 1917, AGED 19


Born in Skipton in 1898 Arthur Harrison had spent much of his childhood in Bentham in Lancashire where his father, Thomas, was a railway signalman. Just before the outbreak of war the family moved to Ilkley and lived at number 5 Golden Butts Road.


At the age of 18 Arthur was conscripted into the army and assigned to the South Staffordshire Regiment. In the summer of 1917 and now 19 years old he arrived in France and joined the 2/6th Battalion as they prepared for the attacks against the German position near to Cambrai.

On the 29th and 30th November the battalion was positioned in the support limes at Bourlon Wood as the front lime came under a sustained and violent German attack. As the South Staffs moved forward to assist another battalion they were doused with enemy high explosive and gas shells (probably phosgene). Hundreds of men were either killed or wounded and three companies were all but annihilated.

Arthur was badly gassed but was pulled from the attack and sent to nearby casualty clearing station. Placed onto a hospital train he was taken back to the base hospital on the coast at Etaples. It was here on the 7th of December that Arthur died probably from heart and respiratory problems caused by the inhalation of gas.

Today Private Arthur Harrison lies in the British Military Cemetery at Etaples and is remembered with pride on our war memorial in Ilkley



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