Harris, Oliver Plowman

2336 Private Oliver Plowman Harris - 43rd Battalion AIF

Oliver Plowman Harris was born in Leighton Buzzard Bedfordshire England in 1881 to Gregory Harris. (His mother was listed as unknown). He was educated in Bedfordshire England and spent his early years here.

Oliver travelled to Western Australia in the 1900's and initially took up farming in the Corrigin district of Southwest WA. He then took up residence in Fremantle prior to the Great War.

In 1914 Oliver married Edith Jane Gunnyon at Scots Church in Fremantle and a daughter Ilfra was born in 1916. During this time the family were living at 69 Skinner Street East Fremantle.

On the 2nd April 1916 Oliver enlisted into the AIF. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 10 inches tall;

Weight - 152lbs;

Chest Measurement - 34-38 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Black.

Upon his successful enlistment Oliver was sent to No.71 Training Depot and he was taken through the basics of infantry work here. On the 20th June 1916 Oliver was transferred to Belmont Camp and was assigned to the 7th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion. He remained with this group until the 5th September 1916 when he was transferred to the 4th Reinforcements to the 43rd Battalion.

Oliver had several more weeks training with this group in WA. Their embarkation orders finally arrived and on the 30th October 1916 Oliver and his group went to Fremantle Harbour and boarded the transport ship HMAT Port Melbourne and set sail for England, reaching Devonport England on the 28th December 1916.

After his embarkation Edith moved to 17 Barnett Street East Fremantle.

Once in England, Oliver was sent to the 11th Training Battalion and he would remain here for the next three and a half months.

On the 19th April 1917 Oliver was in a group of soldiers that departed from Folkestone Harbour and set sail across the Channel to France. He was taken on strength of the 43rd Battalion on the 24th April 1917.

The 43rd Battalion was then in the vicinity of Ploegsteert Wood in southern Belgium. In June 1917 the 43rd Battalion would take part in the large attack at Messines. Oliver survived this attack unscathed.

The 43rd Battalion remained in the Messines sector until August 1917. During this time the 43rd Battalion played a large role in the July 31st 1917 attack at Warneton in which they took their objectives.

In September 1917 the 43rd Battalion, as part of the 3rd Australian Division, were moved to Ypres to take part in the current offensive operations.

On October 4th 1917, the 43rd Battalion took part in an advance at Hill 40 Zonnebeke. During the advance Oliver was severely wounded, being hit by German bullets in the head and arm.

He was evacuated to the Field Ambulance where his wounds were initially treated and then sent to the 44th Casualty Clearing Station. After further treatment, Oliver was sent on an ambulance train to the 54th General Hospital.

After a few days Oliver was then shipped to England and was admitted to Ontario Military Hospital at Orpington England. Oliver remained there for two months and on the 12th December 1917 was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford.

On the 22nd January 1918 Oliver was transferred to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. Due to his wounds, Oliver's war was now over and he waited at Weymouth to be assigned a berth on a troopship home.

On the 10th March 1918 Oliver was sent aboard the hospital ship Durham Castle and set sail for home. The ship berthed at Cape Town South Africa where Oliver was transferred to the ship Orontes. This ship brought Oliver back to Fremantle, arriving on the 4th May 1918.

Oliver was then sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a medical check up. He was discharged from the AIF on the 24th September 1918.

Oliver then returned home to Barnett Street. However the family then returned to Corrigin where Oliver resumed farming.

In 1920 a son called Gregory was born and was followed by a daughter called Betty in 1928 and a son Ken in 1931.

Oliver Harris died on the 3rd November 1957 and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.