Arthur Munro Harrison was killed in action on this day in 1917
Arthur Harrison was born in April 1894 in Earby, Yorkshire.
His parents, John William Harrison and Elizabeth, lived at Ivy Cottage, Stoney Bank, Earby, nr Colne. Arthur became a weaver at Spring Mill, Earby and lived on Stoneybank Road prior to enlistment.
With his Short Service Attestation and Medical Records extant, we learn that Arthur enlisted in the 6th Bn Duke of Wellington Regiment on 1 March 1916. He was 21 years and 10 months old and 5ft 6 ¼ inches tall. He’d fractured his left femur in the past. This was considered ‘not sufficient to cause rejection’. His physical development was considered ‘good’.
During training, he was, on two occasions, punished with ‘3 days CB’ (Confined to Barracks) - in the first instance, on 25 May 1916, for being ‘Dirty on parade’ and a week later for ‘not complying with an order’.
He was inoculated on 16 June and left England via Folkestone on 20 July 1916 and went to the 34th Infantry Base Depot, Etaples.
On 9 September 1916 Arthur transferred to the 5th Bn Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, 49th (West Riding) Division.
In November 1916, now in Etaples, he was treated over several days for a ‘carbuncle on the neck’. Then, sometime between 25 December 1916 and 8 January 1917, he was severely wounded.
On January 20th 1917, Arthur died whilst in the care of a Field Ambulance near Humbercamps, Pas de Calais. He had been in the Army a little over 55 weeks, spending the first 21 weeks of this in training.
He is buried in Humbercamps Communal Cemetery Extension. He was 22 years of age.
From the Pension Ledgers and Index Cards saved by The Western Front Association, we learn that, at the time of his death, Arthur's brother 772132 Norman Harrison of the RFA, a prisoner of war, had died on 25 March 1916.
7078 Pte Arthur Munro Harrison, 1/5th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment