Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Richard John Harris, known as John, was born on 27 June 1895 at Timaru, the son of William Henry and Mary Ann (née Askew) Harris. John was educated at Timaru Main School and Waimataitai School, transferring there in 1907. At Timaru Main, he received a Standard I prize for handwork in 1906. John Harris, the name under which he enlisted, was a dairy factory hand, residing at Creek Street, Waimataitai, the address of his mother whom he named as his next-of-kin. Private J. Harris embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Regiment of the 28th Reinforcements on 26 July 1917, destined for Plymouth, Devon. J. Harris, 55490, of Waimataitai, returned to New Zealand for demobilization, one of 1128 soldiers aboard the “Maunganui”, leaving on 17 May 1919 and arriving at Wellington on 24 June 1919. John resided with his mother and brother Reuben at their Grey Road home until September 1923. He gave evidence of identification when his brother was found dead at the address on 9 October 1923, death being due to a pulmonary embolism and syncope. John married Christina May Halkett in 1924. He died on 31 May 1975 at Timaru, and was cremated at Salisbury Park Crematorium, where there is a plaque to Richard John Harris and his wife Christina May Harris who died in 1978. Two brothers – Victor Roy Harris and Frederick Harris – enlisted but did not serve overeas. William Henry Harris was found dead in the Avon in June 1916. He was 64 years old, and had been living by himself in Christchurch, being separated from his wife who lived in Timaru. Mary Ann Harris, who had been a widow at Timaru in 1928, died in September 1929 at her daughter’s residence in Christchurch (“Late of Timaru.”). William and Mary are buried together at Linwood Cemetery.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [29 July 2021]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [30 July 2021]; School Admission records (South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [30 July 2021]; Timaru Herald, 21 December 1906, 10 & 12 October 1923, 18 September 1929, Lyttelton Times, 22 June 1916, Press, 22 & 23 June 1916, NZ Times, 14 June 1919 (Papers Past) [July 2021; 01 August 2021]; Salisbury Park plaque image & cremation record [30 July 2021]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [30 July 2021]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.