Ancestor Details
Name of Ancestor: Herbert Alexander Harris
Ancestor's date of birth: 16/06/1873
Ancestor's date of death: 14/02/1925
Cause of Death: Detail not provided.
Service Number: 16
Colony or State of enlistment: QLD, Place of Enlistment: Brisbane
Unit: Royal Australian Artillery (Machine Gun Section, 1st Contingent Queensland Mounted Infantry)
Rank attained in Boer War: Driver, Date Effective: 11/01/1897
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No post Boer War Service
Murray Page: 456
Contingent: First Queensland
Ship: Cornwall, Date of Sailing: 01/11/1899
Memorial details: Detail not provided
Decorations: Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps.
Personal Characteristics: Detail not provided.
Reasons to go and fight: Driver Harris joined Queensland Permanent Artillery in 1897, he was a fulltime soldier in 'A' Battery, QPA From 1/11/1899 to 22/12/1900.
Details of service in war: Driver Harris was one of 5 drivers in the Machine Gun Section of the Queensland Battery of the Royal Australian Artillery despatched with the mounted Infantry. He served from December 1899 until December 1900 in northwest Cape Colony including victory over rebel band at Sunnyside (1 January 1900), Free State, and east Transvaal.
Driver Harris' discharge certificate following his "Special Service" in the Boer War.Service and life after the Boer War: General Order 636 of 19/12/1900 records that he was no longer required for special service (a term used to refer to permanent soldiers on active duty). Harris rejoined the Royal Australian Artillery from 22/12/1900, returned to Australia: 17 January 1901 on the Orient. He was discharged from the permanent forces on 12/1/1903.
Driver Harris' discharge certificate from the permanent forces.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: John Herbert Harris, Nudgee QLD
Relationship to Ancestor: Grandson
