Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-
The youngest son of Henry Harrison and his wife Elizabeth Jane Rowell, James William was born on 6th June 1888 in Newcastle, and by the time of the 1891 census his father had died and he, his mother and brothers, John and Frederick were living with her mother, also a widow, in Coldwell Street, Heworth. Five years later Elizabeth married railway guard Thomas Elliott and in 1901 the family were living in Northbourne Street, Gateshead.
In March 1910 James arrived in Canada, having sailed from Liverpool to New Brunswick with the stated intention of making for Nanaimo, British Columbia and work as a miner. He did make it to British Columbia and joined a local militia group 31st (British Columbia Horse) Regiment based in Kamloops, but worked as a teamster rather than a miner.
After the declaration of war James enlisted in the 5th (Western Cavalry) Battalion on 24th September 1914 at the newly formed camp at Valcartier in Quebec, and he became Private 12632 in the Transport section. At the end of the month the Battalion sailed from Quebec to Devonport and a posting to West Down South Camp on Salisbury Plain, where on 4th November the Battalion, with the rest of the Canadian Contingent, were inspected by King George V, Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener. Moving camp to Lark Hill the 5th was again inspected by the King and Lord Kitchener in February 1915 before proceeding to France as part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division.
The Battalion saw action at Ypres and Festubert in 1915 before moving to the area around the Somme. On 16th February 1916 whilst at Battalion HQ at Court Dreve Farm near Armentieres a shell landed outside the Orderly Room destroying several wagons, killing mules and wounding five men, one of whom was Private Harrison. The men were evacuated to 1st Casualty Clearing Station at Bailleul where James William Harrison died from his wounds the following day.
James William Harrison is remembered in Gateshead on G39.004 page 95
In Canada he is remembered on their Virtual War Memorial and in their Book of Remembrance
Canadian Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
The CWGC entry for Private Harrison
