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Legion of Frontiersmen of the Commonwealth by 2Lt Geoff Blackburn
Patron: Countess the Rt Hon Mountbatten of Burma CBE CD JP DL AMM |
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An Australian Frontiersman and War Hero Walter HARRIS, together with his brother Jack Castle Harris and his sister Irene Una Harris were very active legionaries in the period prior to the First World War. Walter Harris as Lieutenant Harris was the organising officer of the Newcastle Sub-branch of the N.S.W. Maritime Command of the Legion of Frontiersmen. Their address was Maitland Road, Mayfield, Warratah, Newcastle, N.S.W. The commanding officer of the N.S.W. Maritime command at that time was Commander F.Gardner, V.D. (R.A.N.R. retired) and their HQ were at Leigh House, 233 Castlereagh Street, Sydney. Lieut. Harris went on to have a distinguished career during the War. It was initially his intention to proceed to London and there to join up with the Frontiersmen in the 25th Battalion, Royal Fussilers. He was delayed on the way and arrived in London after they had departed. He then joined the Drake Battalion of the Royal Naval Division and went on to the War in France. Following is an article extracted from the War Edition of The Frontiersman, which describes this valiant Frontiersman's service.
Captain W.K. Harris, M.C., F.R.G.S. of Newcastle, New South Wales has been awarded a second bar to the Military Cross and also the Distinguished Service Order. Captain Harris is a Company Commander in the Drake Battalion of the Royal Naval Division. Only two other officers hold these four decorations, which were gazetted as follows:- M.C., January 26th, 1917; First Bar, July 18th, 1917; Second Bar, January 18th, 1918; D.S.O. March 4th, 1918. Prior to the War, Captain Harris was a Lieutenant in command of the Newcastle sub-unit, N.S.W., of the Legion of Frontiersmen (N.S.W. Maritime Command). In December 1914, he was on his way from Australia to report to the London Headquarters of the Legion of Frontiersmen when the British Consul-General at San Francisco, the Hon. Carnegie Ross, C.B., asked him to remain there for some time to do special military work of a confidential nature for the British War Office. Resumeing his journey in May, 1915, he arrived in England too late to accompany the Frontiersmen to East Africa. He has been wounded on three separate occasions and once slightly gassed. At the time of his election to the Royal Geographic Society in 1912, Captain Harris had the distinction of being the youngest Fellow of that Society, being then only 23 years of age. His book, Outback in Australia, dealing with travels in the Australian interior, was published on his 24th birthday. Captain Harris' overland travels in Australia included a ride of 800 miles on horseback from Sydney to Brisbane; a cattle-droving trip of 1,700 miles; a journey of 2,400 miles in a one-horse sulky from Sydney to Adelaide and back; and a drive of over 2,000 miles from Sydney to Broken Hill and back. Captain Harris was decorated with the Military Cross for his services at Beaucourt-sur-Ancre in November 1916, "For conspicuous gallantry in action. He led a raid against an enemy machine gun with great gallantry, capturing the gun and turning it on the enemy. Later he led a small bombing party, and was instrumental in capturing one hundred and two prisoners." The official account of the award of the first bar to the M.C. which was earned at Gavrelle, near Arras, is as follows:- "For conspicuous gallantry during operations. Owing to the enemy's wire being very thick, the situation during an advance became critical, and heavy casualties were occurring in his company. With great bravery he kept cheering his men on, and when through the wire he organised bombing parties to protect the flanks. His conduct throughout was magnificent." The second bar to the M.C. was for work at Passchendale (Belgium), "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. His daring reconnaissance and thorough preparations contributed largely to the success of night operations resulting in the capture of two enemy posts and three machine guns. By his daring and initiative he was the means of establishing our line on a commanding position." The D.S.O. was awarded for operations near Cambrai, "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When the enemy attacked under intense bombardment and captured his trench, he directed repeated bombing attacks until he had regained half the trench and established a block, which was hotly contested all day. Towards evening he led a bombing attack along both sides of the trench, which regained the whole position and resulted in the capture of five enemy machine guns. Throughout the day he led his company with great courage and determination under fire and set them a magnificent example. It was entirely due to his efforts that the position was re-established.
From The Frontiersman. Vol. 57 (War Number) 1918 pp24-25 For an example of his writings see Two Australian Conundrums in The Frontiersman Vol. III, No. 49 (January 1914) pp19-20. (This article discusses the "Australian Hedgehog" (Echidna) and the Platypus.). and The Outback Parson in The Frontiersman Vol. III, No. 54 (June 1914) pp141-142. See also The Frontiersman Vo. III, No. 53 (May 1914) pp112-113. See also An Australian Lady Overlander- Wanderings in a Sulky 'Outback'. In The Frontiersman Vol. III, No. 54 (June 1914) p139. This describes the travels of Frontiersman Irene Una Harris in Outback Australia. |
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