Harris, John
4996 Sergeant John Harris - 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company AIF
John Harris was born on the 3rd December 1890 in Granville NSW to John and Amy Harris, being one of eight siblings born into the family.
They moved to Fremantle circa 1900 and took up residence in the Fremantle and Cottesloe regions.
John went to Cottesloe Public School and after leaving school he took up employment as a Blacksmith.
During this time he had a years service in the 11th Australian Infantry Regiment of the Citizens Military Forces.
In 1916 John married Mabel Norton in Fremantle and they would live at 39 Howard Street Fremantle. (later renumbered to 15 Howard St) A son Jack was born in 1917.
On the 24th January 1916 John enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was passed as fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 7 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 100lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33-35 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Brown.
After his successful enlistment John was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was sent to the engineers training depot. He was then sent to Belmont Camp and assigned to No.6 Tunnelling Company. He trained with this group in WA for the next few months.
On the 1st June 1916 John and his group entrained to Fremantle Harbour where he boarded the transport ship HMAT Warilda. The ship then set sail for England, reaching Plymouth on the 18th July 1916.
After being disembarked the men were sent to the Tunnelling Training Camp. The 6th Tunnelling Company would soon be disbanded so John and his unit would be used to reinforce existing units. On the 23rd September 1916 John was sent over to France. He was taken on strength of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company on the 30th September 1916.
The tunnelling units were occupied in offensive and defensive mining involving the placing and maintaining of mines under enemy lines, as well as other underground work such as the construction of deep dugouts for troop accommodation, the digging of subways, saps (a narrow trench dug to approach enemy trenches), cable trenches and underground chambers for signals and medical services plus the defusing of enemy booby traps.
April from a stint at Fromelles in July and August 1916, the 3rd Tunnelling Company mainly worked on the British and Canadian front during 1916-1917 at Lens and Hill 70.
The 3rd Tunnelling Company took part in the mining activities under the German trenches and members of the Company also participated in the trench raids by British troops. The underground war was filled with tension as it was never known when the Germans would explode their own mine or ‘camofluet’. The 3rd Tunnellers had some good success against the Germans but on the 27th November 1916 the Germans struck back as they exploded a mine next to the Australians own tunnel, killing twenty two of the Australian miners. John was fortunate not to be in the Tunnels when this happened.
John was promoted to Sergeant in 1917 as the 3rd Australian Tunnellers remained on the Lens front.
On the 26th January 1918, John was granted furlough to England, returning on the 20th February 1918.
On the 8th April 1918 John was affected by German gas from shells that were falling near his position. He was evacuated to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne. He would remain in hospital and the convalescent depot camps till July 1918.
On the 31st July 1918 John was sent to the base depot camp at Rouelles and then rejoined the 3rd Tunnelling Company on the 21st August 1918.
As the German were retreating during this period there was no need for the Tunnellers to dig under the enemy trenches but they were instead used on construction and bridge building as well as disarming Germans mines and ammunition that had been left as booby traps. This was dangerous work though John came through safely.
The Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918 though John did not have much time to enjoy it as on the 12th November 1918 he was sent to the Royal Engineers Bridging School. He remained there till the 3rd December 1918 and then rejoined his unit.
John remained in France till May 1919. He then returned to England.
On the 26th September 1919 John boarded the transport ship Mahana and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 3rd November 1919. He was discharged from the AIF on the 18th December 1919.
He met up with his wife in Howard Street but then moved to Cottesloe Beach through the 1920's. They then lived at 31 Curedale Street Beaconsfield (later renumbered to 15 Curedale) for a few years. During this time he was working as a Blacksmith.
By 1937 the family had had moved to Leederville, where John became secretary of the Australian Society of Engineers, a position he held till the 1950's.
On 1st July 1947 John was elected as a Senator for the ALP and served in Federal Parliament till 1959.
In the 1950's the family moved to Cambridge Street Leederville.
John died on the 6th October 1974 aged 83. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.