R H W H Harris CB

Richard Hancock William Henry Harris was commissioned into the 70th Regiment on 10 April 1870. He was with the regiment in the 2nd Afghan War of 1878-79, the Thull Chotiali Field Force and the Mahmood Wuzuri Expedition in 1881 as Superintendent of Army Signalling in General Gordon’s Column. He was appointed commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion East Surreys in Dec 1896. He was in command when the battalion sailed to South Africa for the Boer War and led them in their first actions at Willow Grange, Colenso, Spion Kop and Vaal Krantz. At Wynne’s Hill on 23 Feb 1901 the fighting was particularly harrowing, the battalion having many casualties. Colonel Harris and his men were pinned down all day and he, himself, was wounded 8 or 9 times. However, he survived having been rescued by Private Albert Curtis VC but his severe injuries caused him to relinquish command, and on returning to England was appointed a Companion of the Bath. He was on half pay, and finished his army career as a Brigadier-General. He died in May 1927.

Regimental Details | Commanding Officers