2nd Lt
Cyril Henry Harrison
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 26/11/1896 |
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Place of birth: Romford, Essex, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Shipping Clerk |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Second Lieutenant |
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Service number: / |
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Enlistment date: 03/09/1914 |
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Enlistment place: Worthing, Sussex, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — The Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment), 10th Bn. attd. Lancashire Fusiliers 1/5th Bn. (Attached) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 06/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Frezenberg, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 20 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 92 |
Distinctions and medals 3
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
On Thursday 6 September 1917 the 125th Brigade consisting of the 1/5th and 1/6th Lancashire Fusiliers, with the 1/7th and 1/8th in support, attacked the positions Iberian, Borry and Beck House Farms. These former farms were German strongpoints in the German defense and were well defended by Pillboxes.
At zero hour, 7.30 a.m. the 125th Brigade attacked these positions under the cover of a creeping barrage. Beck House had been captured fairly quickly by a company of the 1/6th. The attack on Borry Farm was less successful and was held up by Machine Gun fire from Vampir. Owing to the heavy machine gun fire the troops of the 1/5th advancing on Borry Farm were forced to dig in.
The two companies from the 1/6th attacking Iberian Farm were forced to pull back due to heavy machine gun fire from the Southern slopes of Hill 35. After the withdrawal from Iberian Farm the left flank of Beck House was up in the air and the Germans were able to launch a counterattack. At 10.45 the Germans launched a bombing counterattack which retook Beck House Farm, killing or capturing all but two of the Fusiliers.
After the fall of Beck House Farm the 1/5th near Borry Farm had their left flank exposed, and a German counterattack at 7.30 p.m. forced them to fall back.
We believe that 2nd Lieutenant Harrison Cyril Henry was one of the casualties who fell trying to take Borry Farm in the area of Frezenberg.
At zero hour, 7.30 a.m. the 125th Brigade attacked these positions under the cover of a creeping barrage. Beck House had been captured fairly quickly by a company of the 1/6th. The attack on Borry Farm was less successful and was held up by Machine Gun fire from Vampir. Owing to the heavy machine gun fire the troops of the 1/5th advancing on Borry Farm were forced to dig in.
The two companies from the 1/6th attacking Iberian Farm were forced to pull back due to heavy machine gun fire from the Southern slopes of Hill 35. After the withdrawal from Iberian Farm the left flank of Beck House was up in the air and the Germans were able to launch a counterattack. At 10.45 the Germans launched a bombing counterattack which retook Beck House Farm, killing or capturing all but two of the Fusiliers.
After the fall of Beck House Farm the 1/5th near Borry Farm had their left flank exposed, and a German counterattack at 7.30 p.m. forced them to fall back.
We believe that 2nd Lieutenant Harrison Cyril Henry was one of the casualties who fell trying to take Borry Farm in the area of Frezenberg.
Sources 2
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1/5 Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2654/2). https://nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995) pg. 66-67. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/838669 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=1622abee-571b-4c17-beb0-45bd390fca7d |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/1777975 |