Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
The 1911 Census shows Alick James Tyler Harris being one of thirteen children who were born to William Thomas (a wheelwright) and Susanna Harris, eleven of whom were still living at that time.
The family home was 55 Sun Street, Cheltenham. Alick had been born towards the end of 1896 and would have been almost eighteen when the Great War began.
His father had died earlier in 1914 at the age of 64. but his mother’s name does not appear on the 1911 Census, (present in 1901), which may indicate she was a supporter of the Suffragette Movement, as many of their followers chose to boycott the 1911 Census. She died in Cheltenham in 1926.
Alick had first served with the 21st Lancers (number 5700) and later transferred to the Depot of the Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment. There is no trace of a Medal Index Card for him, which may indicate no overseas service.
He died of tuberculosis on 30 January 1919, age 22 and is buried in Cheltenham Cemetery, where a CWGC headstone marks his grave. He is ALSO commemorated on the Cheltenham Town War Memorial and also that at St. Peter’s Church, Tewkesbury Road.
Researched by Graham Adams 24 January 2013 with acknowledgement that some information was take from ‘Leaving all that was dear – Cheltenham in the Great War’ by Joe Devereux and
Graham Sacker)