15th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps
William Edwin Harris was born at Chipping Campden on 14 June 1888, the son of Edwin Harris wo was a jobbing gardener and his wife Jane (née Gibbs). The couple had four children and lived at Sheep Street, Campden.
Little is known about William but the 1911 Census does show a William Harris, age 22 working as a baker in nearby Broadway; as a single man he appeared to be lodging with the bakery owner but we cannot be certain this is the same man.
It would appear that William joined the Army Service Corps in about April 1916, being given the service number of S4/125938 and then between the dates of 5 to 10 May 1917 he was compulsorily transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (MGC), probably to 225th Company, which joined 15 Division as Corps Troops at Brandhoek, near Ypres on 19 July 1917.
On 17 March 1918, as part of a process of re-structuring the British Expeditionary Force, 225th Company formed part of 15th Battalion, MGC.
The battalion was engaged in resisting the German offensive in early 1918 and between 23 July and 2 August 1918 fought with the French XX Corps (10 French Army) in the Battle of Soissonais and the Ourq. It appears likely that William was wounded during this time and was repatriated to a hospital in Lincoln, where he died of his wounds on 13 August 1918, age 30.
It appears he was unmarried. He was buried in Chipping Campden (St James) Churchyard, where a standard CWGC headstone marks his grave. He is commemorated on the Chipping Campden War Memorial.
Researched by Graham Adams 25 May 2016 with acknowledgement to Graham Sacker for help in compiling this research)