Private Digby Greenwood HARRISON (TF/202503)
1st Battalion Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex) Regiment

Date of birth: 8th January 1897
Date of death: 26th September 1917

Killed in action aged 20
Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial Panels 113-115
Digby Greenwood Harrison was born Middlemoor, Whitchurch, near Tavistock in Devon on the 8th of January 1897 the son of Frederick Harrison, a gentleman, and Bertha Alice (nee Hausser) Harrison of "Ilorin", Alta Vista Road, Paignton, Roundham in Devon.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until December 1910. On leaving the school the magazine wrote the following of him: - "Neither a scholar, nor endowed with great physical stamina, but a general favourite notwithstanding. Always keen about the honour of the school, and helpful in everything. Future generations will owe the enjoyment of their golf links largely to his active assistance in laying them out."

He went on to Uppingham School from January 1911 to July 1915.

He trained in the Officer Training Corps at Epsom and, after a number of attempts to join the army, he was finally accepted into the Somerset Light Infantry, enlisting at Newton Abbott on the 19th of January 1916 but was not mobilised until the 8th of April 1916 when he was posted to the 9th (Reserve) Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry for training. According to his attestation papers he was five feet eight and half inches tall.

During his training he was admitted to Rushton Hospital on the 3rd of June 1916 with a case of German measles and was released on the 15th of June. On the 5th of May 1916 he was posted to the 1/7th Battalion Middlesex Regiment and went to France on the 30th of November 1916 leaving from Folkestone and landing the same day at Boulogne. On the 27th of December 1916 he was posted to the 4th Entrenching Battalion and on the 7th of April 1917 he was posted to the 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment, joining his new unit in the field on the 28th of April. On the 9th of June 1917 he was treated for impetigo at the 99th Field Hospital and rejoined his battalion on the 23rd of June.

On the 26th of September 1917 the 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment was holding the line at Polygon wood. A Platoon of B Company had been cut off during the fighting of the previous days but were relieved at 5.50am by elements of 33rd Division who passed through their position.

Digby Harrison was killed by a shell that day near Polygon Wood.

He is commemorated on the war memorial at Uppingham School.
Went on to Uppingham School

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