Lives of the First World War

Memorial Scroll Ernest Strudwick Harrison

Taken from a postcard sent by Ernest to his mother shortly before he died.

6th Bn, Royal Berkshire Regiment - A black and white photocopy of a postcard of a platoon of the Battalion, on the Western front 1917. The soldier sat above the cross is Private Harrison who posted this postcard on the 27th July 1917 to his mother at Mount Pleasant, Reading. He wrote "Just a line to let you know I am still alive and kicking. According to this photo I am getting as fat as a 'Berkshire Pig', don't you think so" Signed Ernie. The postcard would have arrived in Reading, on or about the 30th July 1917. On the 31st July 1917 Private Harrison was killed in action during an attack at Glencourse Wood. The 6th Battalion lost 67 men in the attack. Private Harrison has no known grave and is commemorated on the memorial to the missing at the Menin gate