Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 300482 Reginald Harrison

Age: 22
From: Aigburth
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
K.I.A Sunday 7th October 1917
Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Reginald Harrison was born in Aigburth in the March quarter of 1895, the son of the late James Harrison and his wife Elizabeth (née Darley). His parents were both born in Yorkshire, James in Malton and Elizabeth in Huttons Ambo; they married in York in 1877 and had two children. Reginald had an older brother Sydney James, born in 1892.

In 1901 the family are living at 139 Hall Lane, West Derby. His father, 66, is a bookkeeper for a fruit wholesaler, his mother is 46, Sydney 8, and Reginald 6.

They are still at the same address in 1911. His father, 76, is a fruit merchant’s clerk, his mother is 56, Sydney is 18, a cotton broker’s assistant salesman, and Reginald, 16, is an estate agent’s office boy.

His father died in 1912, aged 77, and was buried on the 28th February at Anfield Cemetery.

Probate:-

HARRISON James of 139 Hall Lane Liverpool died 25 February 1912 Probate Liverpool 6 March to Elizabeth Harrison widow. Effects £211 2s.

Prior to enlistment he was an agent for the Prudential Assurance Co. in Garston and Widnes.

As his service record has not survived, the details are not known, but based on the amount of the War Gratuity, Reginald enlisted in about November 1915.

Reginald enlisted in Liverpool and was formerly 250724, Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 300482 when he was killed in action on the 07th October 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).

His death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on the 19th Oct 1917:

HARRISON - October 14(sic). killed in action, REG., Trooper Lancashire Hussars, the dearly beloved and loving son of the late James Harrison, 139 Hall Lane, and Mrs Harrison 2 Lugard Road, Aigburth, and affectionate brother of Syd Harrison (gunner R.G.A.)

His death was also reported in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 10 November 1917:

TROOPERS DEATH.

News is to hand of the death in action of trooper Reg. Harrison of the Lancashire Hussars. He enlisted as a sequel to the Lusitania disaster, and had been at the front 20 months. The esteem in which he was held by his officers and comrades has been clearly shown by the letters received from them. He was a very popular member of the Aigburth Liberal Club. Employed by the Prudential Assurance Co. He was very highly esteemed in the Garston and Widnes District in which he was their agent. He resided with his mother at 2 Lugard Road, Aigburth, Liverpool.

Reginald's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

He earned his two medals.

His mother, at 2 Lugard Road, Aigburth, later 89 New Row, Old Malton, Yorks, received Reginald’s effects, Army Pay of £4 13s 11d, War Gratuity of £10-10s and a pension of 11/6d a week. Probate of his estate was obtained at Liverpool on the 8th January 1918 by his mother. His effects were valued at £138.

His mother, Elizabeth, died, aged 82, on 22nd August 1937.

Her death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on Tuesday 24 August 1937

HARRISON— August 22, after a long illness, 2 Lugard-road, Aigburth, in her 83rd year ELIZABETH, widow of James and mother of Sydney James. Interment at Anfield Cemetery, tomorrow (Wednesday) 3.30 p.m., preceded by service at the house 2.30 p.m. - (Friends kindly accept this— the only— intimation.)

Reginald is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance

Garston Roll of Honour,

Aigburth Methodist Church

St Anne’s C. of E. Church, Aigburth.

We currently have no further information on Reginald Harrison. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

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(110 Years this day)
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