Arthur Leyland Harrison was born on February 3rd 1886 in Torquay, Devon, the son of Lieutenant Colonel A J Harrison of the Royal Fusiliers and his wife Adelaide . After spending his early school years at Dover College the young Harrison embarked on a Naval career commencing training as a cadet officer in 1902. He was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant four years later in 1906, with promotion to full Lieutenant following two years later in 1908. From an early age Harrison was captured by the allure of the rugby field as well as that of his blossoming naval career, although in many cases the two intertwined. A resolute forward Harrison was a stalwart member of the Hampshire branch of the United Services from the time of his joining the fleet as a qualified officer in 1906 until the outbreak of war in 1914. He also played for the Hampshire county side for the last two years of this period from 1912. His growing reputation on the field during the immediate pre war years as a county player soon brought him to the attention of the England selectors’ and Harrison was picked for a debut cap against Ireland in a match held at Twickenham on February 14th 1914. Played in front of the King and the Prime Minister Ireland started the game in a characteristic frenzy, soon leading by seven points. England played a more conservative game and were able to score enough points against a tiring Irish side to take the match by seventeen points to twelve. Harrison certainly played his part in the victory, along with his namesake H G Harrison from the Army. In a match report from the Times it was said that “the English forwards stiffened in the scrummage by the two Harrisons did better than against Wales ”, a clear reference to England ’s previous match that had only just been won by ten points to nine. http://therugbyhistorysociety.co.uk/harrison.html Arthur Leyland Harrison Birth - Feb. 3, 1886 Death - Apr. 23, 1918 World War I Victoria Cross Medal Recipient, native of Torquay, Devon. Lieutenant Commander, Royal Navy, H.M.S. “Lion”; temporarily assigned to H.M.S. “Vindictive” for the Zeebrugge Raid. On the night of 22-23 April 1918, an armada of British sailors and marines in a motley collection of destroyers, launches, old submarines and Mersey ferry-boats attacked the mole [breakwater] at Zeebrugge, Belgium, at the head of the canal leading to the German submarine pens at Brugge. Higher-ups in the Royal Navy realized there was no way they could actually capture the canal or the submarine pens, but they could block access by sinking three obsolescent, coal-burning cruisers, filled with concrete, across the canal. From Harrison’s citation: “For most conspicuous gallantry at Zeebrugge on the night of the 22nd-23rd April, 1918. This officer was in immediate command of the Naval Storming Parties embarked in “Vindictive.” Immediately before coming alongside the mole Lieut.-Commander Harrison was struck on the head by a fragment of a shell which broke his jaw and knocked him senseless. Recovering consciousness he proceeded on to the mole and took over command of his party, who were attacking the seaward end of the mole. The silencing of the guns on the mole head was of the first importance, and though in a position fully exposed to the enemy's machine-gun fire Lieut.-Commander Harrison gathered his men together and led them to the attack. He was killed at the head of his men, all of whom were either killed or wounded. Lieut.-Commander Harrison, though already severely wounded and undoubtedly in great pain, displayed indomitable resolution and courage of the highest order in pressing his attack, knowing as he did that any delay in silencing the guns might jeopardize the main object of the expedition, i.e., the blocking of the Zeebrugge-Bruges Canal.” Harrison was killed in the action; his body was never recovered. His V.C. Medal is on display at the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. Burial: Zeebrugge Memorial * Brugge West-Vlaanderen, Belgium Plot: Memorial (no known grave) *Memorial http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...7&PIgrid=9418447&PIcrid=1787358&PIpi=1178873&
Re: Arthur Leyland Harrison VC - England Rugby Player I know theres other photographs but this was the only one I could find !! http://www.doverwarmemorialproject....xhibition/casualty images/Arthur Harrison.htm http://www.picturesofengland.com/England/tour/Remembrance/pictures/latest/1018296
Re: Arthur Leyland Harrison VC - England Rugby Player Annie This duplicates much of your information, but it's a simple extract from my notes. Harrison, Arthur Leyland VC England Internationals: 2 : 1914 I+ F+ Arthur Harrison was born on 3 February 1886, in Torquay, the son of Lieutenant Colonel A J Harrison, 7th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers, and Adelaide Ellen Harrison. Played as a Forward for: Dover College, Royal Naval College Dartmouth, United Services Portsmouth, Royal Navy, Hampshire. Remarks: After leaving Dover College Arthur Harrison joined the Royal Navy on 15 May 1901, and was posted to the training ship HMS Britannia. His first cap was in the 1914 International v Ireland at Twickenham, the first Rugby match attended by King George V since his coronation in 1910. The King was also present some weeks later when Harrison played in the 1914 Officers of the Royal Navy v Officers of the Army match (14-26) at Queen’s Club, Kensington. Profession: Royal Navy War service: Lieutenant Commander. Fought at the Battles of Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank and Jutland in HMS Lion; Mentioned in Despatches 15 September 1916. In late 1917 he volunteered for hazardous service, and was posted to HMS Hindustan at Chatham Docks in January 1918. After infantry training by the Middlesex Regiment, Harrison was posted to HMS Vindictive for the raid on Zeebrugge on 23 April. Lt Cdr Harrison was knocked unconscious and had his jaw broken in the early minutes of the Zeebrugge Raid. On regaining consciousness he insisted on joining the Mole assault team led by Lt Cdr Bryan Adams. On the Mole, Harrison found Adams needed reinforcements, and sent him back to fetch Marines. Harrison then led a party of men, including Able Seaman Albert McKenzie [also awarded the VC] with a Lewis gun. All the members of the assault team were killed or badly wounded. Able Seaman Eaves attempted to carry Lt Cdr Harrison’s body back, but was wounded and taken prisoner. The London Gazette of 14 March 1919 records the following: “For most conspicuous gallantry at Zeebrugge on the night of the 22nd – 23rd April 1918. This officer was in command of the Naval Storming parties embarked in Vindictive. Immediately before coming alongside the Mole Lt Cdr Harrison was struck on the head by a fragment of shell which broke his jaw and knocked him senseless. Recovering consciousness he proceeded on to the Mole and took over command of his party, who were attacking the seaward end of the Mole. The silencing of the guns on the Mole was of the first importance, and though in a position fully exposed to the enemy’s machine gun fire Lt Cdr Harrison gathered his men together and led them to the attack. He was killed at the head of his men, all of whom were either killed or wounded. Lt Cdr Harrison, though already severely wounded and in great pain, displayed indomitable resolution and courage of the highest order in pressing his attack, knowing as he did that any delay in silencing the guns might jeopardise the main object of the expedition, i.e. the blocking of the Zeebrugge-Bruges Canal.” He was killed in action on 23 April 1918, at Zeebrugge, and is commemorated on the Zeebrugge Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. His Victoria Cross was presented to his mother, and in 1967 it was donated by surviving relatives to the Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, Devon, where it is on display. A monument to Lieutenant-Commander Harrison VC was erected at Roundham Head, Paignton, England, on 23 April 2000, by members of the Torbay Royal Naval Association. Arthur Harrison was the fourth, and last, international Rugby player to be awarded the Victoria Cross. The others were Robert Johnson (21 October 1899) Thomas Crean (19 December 1901) and Fred Harvey (27 March 1917) all of whom played for Wanderers RFC in Dublin.
Re: Arthur Leyland Harrison VC - England Rugby Player The cruiser Vindictive pictured before the Zebrugge operation and after...
AL Harrison was also a Rosslyn Park player and you will see him back left in the photo herehttp://www.rugbyremembers.co.uk/9.html. Considerable evidence from my research into Rosslyn Park that many rugby players through their University, service or medical careers were quite 'promiscuous' and played wherever they could get a game. I suspect they did not always register as members, and in those pre-internet days would hardly be found out by their other clubs! AJ Dingle for instance called Hartlepool Rovers his home club when representing England, although he played for Rosslyn park while at Keble, Oxon - and paid his subs!
