Joseph HARRISON

17 September 1915

HARRISON – August 11th, killed while leading his Company in the Dardanelles, Company Sergt-Major Joseph Harrison, 6th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, and formerly of Skipton.

17 September 1915

SKIPTON SOLDIER LEADS HIS MEN AND DIES – FROM PRINTER’S APPRENTICE TO COMPANY SERGEANT MAJOR

Company Sergeant Major Joseph Harrison, who commenced life as a printer in the ‘Craven Herald’ works about 30 years ago, and subsequently became a soldier, has been killed in action at the Dardanelles while leading his company in action on August 11th last. The information comes to us from Sergt. Harry Minikin, a Skipton man serving with the 7th East Lancashire Regiment in France. Sergt.-Major Harrison, whose father was at one time employed as a cutter in the then tailoring establishment of Mr. I. Chadwick, Swadford Street, Skipton, enlisted in the 1st Battalion East Lancashire Regiment in April, 1890, at Burnley. He was drafted to Newry, Ireland, and the same year was sent to India, where he was stationed at Benares and Lucknow. He went through the cholera epidemic at the latter place in 1894, when the regiment lost many men. The deceased was with his regiment at the Relief of Chitral in 1895 and received the medal and clasp. The following year the regiment went to Burmah. The Battalion returned to England at Christmas of 1897. Harrison was also with his regiment in South Africa in 1899 and possessed the Queen’s medal with three clasps and the King’s medal with two clasps. Returning home to 1902 he served in Ireland and England until his retirement on a pension with the long service and good conduct medals in 1910. He then joined the Corps of Commissionaires in London where he was employed by Messrs. Crawley, Arnold and Co., solicitors, Arlington Street, S.W., as clerk and messenger. He rejoined the 6th Battalion of his old regiment when war broke out last year, and went to the Dardanelles in May. He was a popular soldier, and his loss is keenly regretted by his regiment.

Sergeant Minikin, who is in France, adds that he, himself, is keeping in the best of health, and remarks, “I feel pleased when I read the Skipton papers and see how well Skipton has responded to the call. But more and more men are wanted. It behoves us all to do our very best to get this job finished. Talking won’t do it, but doing will. If those who go in for striking in England only knew what they say out here about them they would hide themselves with shame. There is no bonus out here, nor yet overtime pay, although there is plenty of overtime which is done without grousing or complaining.”