Private Charles Harris
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- WX7851
- Unit
- 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion
- Cause of death
- Died as Prisoner of War
- Place of death
- Sandakan, Borneo
- Date of death
- 27 May 1945
- Age
- 31
- Plaque number
- MW65B
- Co-located plaques
- MW65 - PTE William Beard
- MW65A - PTE Neville Bailey
- Dedicated by
- Nephew on 28 October 2023
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Charles Henry Harris was born in May 1915 at Picton Junction Bunbury, Western Australia to parents Edward and Ellen Curley Harris (nee Winwood). He was one of eight children with four brothers and three sisters.
Charles attended Picton, Capel and Boyup Brook schools. His family lived in Boyup Brook and he worked as a farmhand.
Charles enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force at Claremont on 1 August 1940 and he conducted his training in Northam, Darwin. In December 1941, Charles embarked overseas from Fremantle attached to 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion ‘A’ Company, disembarking in Singapore in January 1942.
Charles was immediately in action against the Japanese Imperial Army that was advancing through Malaya towards Singapore. On 15 February 1942, Singapore surrendered to the Japanese and Charles and many other Australians became prisoners of war. Charles was held in Selarang Camp, Changi.
In July 1942, Charles was transported from Singapore as part of ‘B’ Force to the Sandakan prisoner of war camp in Borneo. Over 2,000 prisoners were sent to this prisoner of war camp, where the prisoners were made to work in severe conditions on airfield construction.
In 1945, an order was made by the Japanese High Command that no prisoners were to survive the war. The majority of prisoners that still could walk were sent on death marches while others were left behind to starve to death. Charles was left in the camp where he died of illness on 27 May 1945.
Private Charles Harris, service number WX7851 of 2/4 Machine Gun Battalion, died of illness while a prisoner of war in Borneo on 27 May 1945. He was 31 years of age.
He is commemorated at the Labuan Memorial Malaysia and is remembered with honour.
His plaque is placed alongside those of comrades from the same battalion, Private William Beard and Craftsman Neville Bailey.