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Auction: 19002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 227

'During the clearing of Preseau, Captain P. G. K. Harris, M.C., was the chief performer in an incident which gave rise to some merriment. He was standing at the top of some cellar steps collecting prisoners, when a German came up from below "kamerading" with such enthusiasm that he collided with Captain Harris and knocked him down.

Captain Harris sat down violently on top of a dead German, and in his efforts to rise put his hand on the dead man's face. This was too much for Light Company's Commander; he leapt at the offender and, mindful of his Oxford days, caught him such a left under the jaw that the unhappy German did not recover consciousness for a long time.

In the two days' fighting the Brigade, with the two attached battalions, captured 43 officers, 1,655 other ranks, 5 field guns, and 2 Tanks, besides machine-guns and trench mortars too numerous to count.'

A History of the 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry, July 1st 1916 to the end of the War, refers.

A fine M.C. and Bar group of four awarded to Captain P. G. K. 'Pogo' Harris, Somerset Light Infantry, who was a schoolmaster to a young C. S. Lewis - latterly the world-famous author - indeed it was 'Pogo' Harris who would be his Company Commander in the trenches on Lewis's arrival at the Front, on which date his young charge celebrated his 19th birthday

Military Cross, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. P. G. K. Harris. Som. L. I.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt. P. G. K. Harris.), toned, nearly extremely fine (4)

M.C. London Gazette 8 March 1919:

'For conspicuous gallantry near Vercharn on 24th October, 1918. At the river bank, in the darkness, considerable confusion and difficulty were experienced in throwing the bridges, owing to the heavy machine-gun fire. It was entirely due to his example, and efforts that the bridges were thrown and that the men were able to cross. He subsequently led his company to a further objective, and carried out a personal reconnaissance across the open under heavy machine-gun fire, obtaining very valuable information.'

Bar to M.C. London Gazette 2 April 1919:

'For conspicuous gallantry and good leadership on 1st and 2nd November, 1918, near Preseau. When his company was held up by a strong party of enemy in an isolated house, he led forward a small party of men, captured the position and succeeded in killing or capturing some 30 of the enemy. Later, when the objective was gained and consolidated, his company was counter-attacked. He immediately rallied his men, and leading a charge routed the enemy. The following day he ably commanded his own company and another.'

Percy Gerald Kelsall Harris - or 'Pogo' to his friends - was born on 31 August 1882, the son of Reverend Dr. P. C. Harris, Headmaster of the United Services College. Educated there from 1895-99 and at Oxford University, he followed his father into education. Indeed, one of his students would be a young C. S. Lewis - Lewis would be struck by 'Pogo' and describes him as '...a snazzy dresser, a real wit and very much the man about town' in his 1955 work Surprised by Joy. Lewis continues:

'What attracted me through 'Pogo' was not the flesh (I had my own) but the world: the desire for glitter, swagger, distinction, the desire to be in the know. I began to labour very hard to make myself into a fop, a cad, and a snob.'

Harris enlisted in September 1914 and was commissioned in February 1915, serving overseas with the 8th Battalion before the year was out. Admitted to 11th Field Ambulance with ulcers in August 1917, he was sufficiently recovered to be appointed Acting Captain whilst in command of a the Light 'D' Company of the 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry in October 1917. As fate would have it, their paths would cross again in the candlelit dugouts of the trenches on the 19th birthday of young Lewis, who had been posted to his former Master's Company on 29 October. Harris and Lewis would serve alongside one another until January 1918, with Lewis being invalided out with trench fever.

During the final advances to victory in late 1918, Harris would earn his brace of Military Crosses, together with a 'mention' (London Gazette 27 December 1918, refers), the action noted in the Regimental History:

'At 4 p.m. the enemy carried out another counter-attack in force, this time on the left. The 49th Division gave ground, and the posts of Light Company were driven back 200 yards. Captain P. G. K. Harris, M.C., assisted by Company Sergeant-Major R. Johnson, then rallied the men, and ordered them to charge. The whole line sprang forward with a cheer, flung the Germans back, and re-occupied the original position. A few prisoners and a machine-gun were captured, and a considerable number of Germans killed. Our barrage which fell in response to the S.O.S. accounted for a good number more.'

Returned home on 20 March 1919 and released with the rank of Captain on 1 September 1921, Harris lived at Kelsall Lodge, Staplegrove, Taunton; sold with copied research.


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£2,000