Heslop's Local Advertiser 24/08/1917
Menin Gate Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Milner Harrison was born 1888 at Felling, Gateshead, County Durham the youngest of 5 children, 2 sons, 2 daughters, 1 deceased gender unknown. His father Thomas Robinson Harrison was born in the hamlet of Houlsyke, near Whitby, Yorkshire in 1845 and married Jane Ann Milner born 1852 of Kirk Merrington, County Durham, in the district of Bishop Auckland in1877. Thomas Harrison worked all his life as a quarryman and lived at Heworth just after his marriage at Wellington Street, moving later to 6, Heworth Street where he and the family stayed for 20 years. By 1911 Thomas Milner was the the only one still single and living at home with his parents at 11 Major Terrace, Felling. His father was now a stone dressing machine man but Thomas Jnr worked at a printing works as a book binder, he was now 23 years old. Thomas married in the district of Gateshead during the 4th quarter of 1911 Mary Ann S Thompson.
On the outbreak of war he enlisted as Private 42427 and assigned to the 90th Machine Gun Company which was originally formed at Gratham and when moved to France joined the 30th Division at Bray-sur-Somme in the region of Picardie, March 13th 1916. They initially remained in France and with the 30th Division saw action at the Battle of Albert and Transloy Ridge in 1916, during the Arras Offensive at the First and Second Battles of the Scarpe in 1917 before moving to the salient in Belgium during the phase of the Battles of Ypres.
Private 42427 Thomas Milner Harrison Machine Gun Corp. was killed in action, July 24th 1917. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 54,395 names of Commonwealth servicemen, on the Menin Gate to the Missing, Ypres, Belgium, commemorating those who died on the salient until August 15th 1917 and who have no known grave. Private Harrison was 29 years old.
His widow Mary Ann (Polly) received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 7, Laurel Street, Felling, Gateshead, County Durham.
Thomas Robinson Harrison died in the district of Gateshead in 1924 aged 79 years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Heslop's Local Advertiser 24/8/1917 reports:
Private T.M. Harrison, M.G.C., killed in action, July 14th. Husband of Polly Harrison (nee Thompson) of 7 Laurel Street, Felling.
Thomas Milner Harrison is remembered at Heworth on H92.03
