Harris TROUT

82511, Private. b. 1899, Lincoln d. Mon. 3rd June 1918 (aged 18).

The youngest of the Trout sons, Harris had been called up as soon as he turned eighteen. His attestation papers show he joined up the day before his 18th Birthday on 11th July 1917. Harris occupation is as an Iron Work Labourer and shows him living at 12 Virginia St. Clayton.

He joined the 15th Durham Light Infantry Regiment and arrived in France as the disarray of the Spring Offensive was in full flow. He managed to survive this baptism of fire, but just as the German advance was coming to a halt in late May, he was wounded in action.

Unfortunately, he was left behind by his own men and was quickly captured by German troops. This was on the 27th May, and over the next few days his condition gradually worsened until he finally succumbed to his wounds on 3rd June 1918.

Both the Axis and Allied forces had a policy of treating enemy wounded if they had been made prisoners-of-war, and by looking at the location of Harris’ burial in the town of Rethel, it is clear that he was transported back to a German field hospital in a safe part of the German front line.

He died less than three months after his elder brother Harold.

Harris was originally buried at Blanzy German Military Cemetery and was re-interred at Rethel French National Cemetery, Ardennes, France.