Private William Harris & Private Harold HarrisPrint Page 
The wooden sculptures commemorate Private William Henry Harris and Private Harold Norman Harris who served in World War One.
Private William Harris was killed in action in France in February 1918 at Hill 60 south of Ypres in Belgium, and Private Harold Harris died in September 1918 from pleurisy and diphtheria while a prisoner of war.
Two trees were planted by children of the Magra School in June 1920 to commemorate these brothers.
Location
| Address: | Back River Road & Saddle Road, CWA Building, Magra, 7140 |
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| State: | TAS |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -42.755642 Long: 147.054087 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Sculpture |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Military |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 2019 |
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THE HARRIS BROTHERS
This is the story of two brothers William Henry Harris and Harold Norman Harris, who were born in this beautiful valley and educated at the former Back River School, the grounds of which we stand in today. Far away from the troubles and conflicts of Europe, they grew to be men and, when they heard the clarion-call to arms to fight for King, Country and Empire, they enlisted.
William and Harold (known as Norman) Harris were born at Back River, on the outskirts of New Norfolk, to William and Jane Harris, (nee New/Hardwick) - the eldest and the youngest respectively of fours sons and one daughter.
Norman was 19, a farm labourer and single, when, along with his brother, 26 year-old William, they enlisted at Claremont, Tasmania in October 1916. Their enlistment came at the later part of WWI after the heavy losses of Gallipoli, Pozieres, Fromelles and Mouquet Farm and only weeks before the narrow defeat of the first conscription referendum on 28 October 1916. However without letters of diaries to give some insight, one can only conclude they enlisted for much the same reason as did many young men - `to do their bit` and quite possibly to follow in the footsteps of another brother Walter Cyril Harris, who had enlisted a year earlier in October 1915 (12th Battalion, 15th Reinforcements).
The two brothers embarked Melbourne 6th December 1916 on board "HMAT Orsova" with the 40th Infantry Battalion, 6th Reinforcement. Both served as machine-gunners with the 24th Machine Gun Company which, from March 1918, formed part of the 4th Machine Gun Battalion.
Private William Harris was killed in action 17th February 1918 at Hill 60, south east of Ypres in Belgium and is commemorated in the Spoilbank Cemetery, Belgium. Private Harold Norman Harris died 9th September 1918 in War Hospital 122 in France whilst a prisoner of war, from pleurisy and diphtheria and was buried in the Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery, France.
The trees (below), were planted by children from the Magra School on 20 June 1920 to commemorate and remember the two brothers who left in 1916, never to return...
... Lest We Forget.
