Harrison J.C.

JOHN CHAPMAN HARRISON (1895-1918)

35387 Private John Chapman Harrison, 12/13^th battalion, the Northumberland Fusiliers was killed in action 4 January 1918 and is buried at Heudicourt Communal Cemetery Extension, France.[1] He was 22 years old and is commemorated on the Etherley War Memorial and the Roll of Honour in St. Cuthbert’s Church, Etherley.

Family Details

John Chapman Harrison was born 1895[2] at Woodside, near Witton Park the son of Robert and Sarah Harrison. There were at least 11 children:[3]

Jane bc.1881 at Bishop Auckland
James bc.1883 at Bishop Auckland
Robert bc.1887 at Bishop Auckland
Margaret bc.1888 at Witton Park
Allan bc.1891 at Witton Park
Mary bc.1892 at Witton Park
Alice bc.1893 at Woodside
Thomas bc.1895 at Woodside
John Chapman born 1895 at Woodside
Edith bc.1896 at Woodside
Doris bc.1902 at West Auckland

By 1901, the family lived at Etherley where Robert was employed as a colliery carpenter/joiner. [4] By 1911, Robert was a widower and his daughter 23 year old Margaret was the housekeeper. Robert worked as a colliery joiner and 15 year old John worked as a joiner for a builder.[5] By 1922, Robert Harrison lived at Street House, High Etherley.[6]

Service Details

John Chapman Harrison enlisted at Bishop Auckland into the Durham Light Infantry being given the regimental number 3529.[7] Later, he was transferred to the 12/13^th Northumberland Fusiliers. Private J.C. Harrison did not enter France until after 31 December 1915.[8]

The 12^th (Service) and 13^th (Service) Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers were formed at Newcastle in September 1914 as part of K3, Kitchener’s New Army and came under the orders of the 62^nd Brigade 21^st Division. The 62^nd Brigade comprised the following units:

12^th (Service) Bn., Northumberland Fusiliers
13^th (Service) Bn., Northumberland Fusiliers
8^th, East Yorkshire Regiment left November 1915
10^th, Yorkshire Regiment disbanded February 1918
1^st, Lincolnshire Regiment joined November 1915
62^nd Machine Gun Company joined March 1916 left to move into 21^st MG Battalion February 1918
62^nd Trench Mortar Battery joined June 1916
3/4^th, the Queens August 1917 to February 1918
2^nd Bn, Lincolnshire Regiment joined February 1918

In September 1915 the 21^st Division landed in France and served on the Western Front for the remainder of the war, taking part in many of the significant actions: [9]

1915
25 September – 8 October: The Battle of Loos

1916
1 – 13 July: The Battle of Albert*
14 – 17 July: The Battle of Bazentin Ridge*
15 – 22 September: The Battle of Flers-Courcelette*
25 – 28 September: The Battle of Morval* in which the Division captured Geudecourt
1 – 18 October: The Battle of Le Transloy*
Battles marked * are phases of the Battles of the Somme 1916

1917
14 March – 5 April: The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line

9 – 14 April: The First Battle of the Scarpe**
3 – 4 May: The Third Battle of the Scarpe**
20 May – 16 June: The flanking operations around Bullecourt**
Battles marked ** are phases of the Arras offensive 1917

10 August 1917: the 12^th and 13^th Battalions amalgamated becoming the 12/13^th Battalion.[10]

26 September – 3 October: The Battle of Polygon Wood***
4 October: The Battle of Broodseinde***
26 October – 10 November: The Second Battle of Passchendaele***
Battles marked *** are phases of the Third Battles of Ypres

30 November – 3 December: The Cambrai Operations

1918
21 – 23 March: The Battle of St Quentin+
24 – 25 March: The First Battle of Bapaume+
Battles marked + are phases of the First Battles of the Somme 1918

Private J.C. Harrison’s service record has not been researched therefore it is not possible to record with any certainty where he served. He was killed in action 4 January 1918 along with 20087 Corporal Ralph Hall. There was no major battle taking place at this time therefore it is likely that they were victims of the usual violence of warfare – hit by shell fire, machine gun fire or sniping.

Private J.C Harrison was awarded the British War and Victory medals.[11]

Burial

Private J.C. Harrison is buried at grave reference F.5 Heudicourt Communal Cemetery Extension and Corporal Hall is buried at F.6. Private J. C. Harrison’s father Robert organised for his headstone to be inscribed:

“Rest in Peace”

There are 85 burials.[12]

References:

[1] Commonwealth War Graves Commission

[2] England & Wales Birth Index 1837-1915 Vol.10a p.195 Auckland 1895 Q4

[3] 1901 & 1911 census

[4] 1901 census

[5] 1911 census

[6] CWGC

[7] Soldiers Died in the Great War

[8] Medal Roll card index

[9] www.1914-1918.net/21div.htm & http://www.warpath.orbat.com