Photo: Pauline Priano
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Christopher Harris, one of 7 children, all of whom survived, the eldest of 4 brothers he had 2 elder and 1 younger sister. His father Andrew Harris, born in the district of Hexham, Northumberland, baptised May 29th 1869, in 1881, at the age of 12-years, was living at Eltringham Colliery in the home of widow Mary Ann Hogg, her daughter Mary Jane, granddaughter Isabella Hogg, her married daughter Ellen and her husband Andrew Grant, listed as, “adopted son,” also in the household was boarder Thomas Nelson, a coal miner.
Andrew Harris married in the district of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, in 1890, to Annie Harding, born at Brampton, Cumberland in 1868 who was living in 1881, aged 14 years, in the home of her uncle and aunt, Christopher and Margaret Harding at Elm Street, Benwell, Newcastle. In 1891 she and coal miner Andrew, having married a year earlier at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, were living two doors away from them, having moved to Oak Street, Benwell, with their 6-month old daughter Elizabeth Marion. Margaret Harris was born there in 1892 before Andrew transferred his family to Ryton in County Durham, birthplace of Christopher in 1893, returning to Benwell during the next 3 years where Annie gave birth to Andrew Jnr in 1896. Andrew Snr moved his family again to Northumberland where their son Sydney was born at Haydon Bridge in 1898 before returning to County Durham for the birth of daughter Mary at Whickham in 1900 and having found work as a coal miner/hewer at Rowland Gill, in 1891, they were living at Strathmore Terrace. James Harris was born in 1904 at Winlaton, however, they were living in 3 rooms at 11, Park Bow, Hamsterly, County Durham, in 1911. Andrew and his sons were employed at the colliery, he as a hewer, Christopher (19) and Andrew (17) underground, as a putter and a driver respectively,
In peacetime Christopher was a member of one of the five Territorial battalions of part-time volunteers with the Durham Light Infantry. As such, upon the declaration of war he was called upon to serve immediately with the 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry as Private 1682. They went from their annual training camp to South Shields and spent the first few months of the war digging trenches before being divided into 4 companies, training at Ravensworth, Boldon and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
The 1st/9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry under the command of Lieu. Colonel Andrew Henderson left Newcastle railway station, April 19th 1915, bound for France. Once landed in France without any trench familiarisation the raw recruits were sent immediately to the northern part of the Ypres salient in Belgium near St Julien and the Gravenstaff Ridge. Within days were fighting for their lives during the 2nd Battle of Ypres, April 22nd-May 25th 1915, as part of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division. In May the 5th, 7th, 8th and 9th Battalions were forced to withdraw although they slowed the German advance on the Bellewaarde Ridge, they were spared the heavy losses endured by other Territorial battalions.
July 1915 the battalion moved to the area around Hooge just north of the Menin Road where the Germans were entrenched. Private 1682 Christopher Harris Durham Light Infantry is believed to have been killed in action, July 14th 1915 on the Ypres salient. His sacrifice is recorded as one of 54,395 names of Commonwealth soldiers inscribed on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium, commemorating those who died on the Ypres salient before August 15th 1917, whose bodies have never been found. Private Harris was 22 years of age and single.
His father Andrew received all monies due to him from the Army, his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, his mother Annie Harris a pension sent to her at 63, Beaumont Terrace, Westerhope, Northumberland, The CWGC also list Christopher’s family at 34, New Houses, Stakeford, Choppington, Northumberland.
Christopher’s brothers Andrew and Sydney were also eligible to serve, however, no records have been found.
Further details as regards Andrew Harris and Annie Harris nee Harding, as yet unknown.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Christopher Harris is remembered at Whorlton on W53.01
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 182
