Remembering Arthur Leyland Harrison VC
Remembering the life of former England international Arthur Harrison VC, who lost his life on this day in WW1.
Arthur Leyland Harrison was born in Torquay in 1886. He attended Brockhurst Prep School in Shropshire and Dover College before enrolling with the Britannia Royal Naval College in 1901.
A vigorous scrummager with huge strength and a tenacious work rate Harrison worked his way through the ranks, playing for the Naval College, Navy and United Services, as well as turning out for Rosslyn Park.
International call up
He was called up for international duty for the first time in 1914. Selected to play against Ireland at Twickenham he lined up in a front-row that included himself, Alfred Maynard and Dreadnought Harrison.
Elsewhere in the side were Cyril Lowe, Fred Chapman, Ronnie Poulton, Dave Davies, Francis Oakeley and Sid Smart.
Harrison was singled out in the press for having done ‘three men’s work in the scrum’ and his play was said to be ‘reminiscent of Slocock, Wodehouse, Daniell or Milton’.
He was selected again for the final game of the 1914 season and the last before the outbreak of war.
Against France at the Stade Colombes England ran out 39-13 winners with a side bolstered by Mud Dingle and Henry Watson.
Once again Harrison was influential and helped his team to a Grand Slam.
Doing his duty
In the final year of the war, in the midst of the German Spring Offensive, Harrison volunteered for a mission from which he understood he may not return.
The Zeebrugge Raid was an audacious attempt to scuttle three ships in the mouth of the Bruges Canal to prevent the launch of German U-Boats that were wreaking havoc on British shipping. Harrison’s role was to create a diversion.
Under the cover of smoke he was to land a small platoon on the Mole pier before launching a frontal assault on an enemy emplacement that included twelve seaward guns, two anti-aircraft guns, a machine gun nest and 1000 troops.
Awarded the Victoria Cross
As it transpired the smoke lifted and Harrison was shot through the jaw before his ship had even made contact with the pier. Quickly regaining consciousness and in spite of the severity of his wounds he led his men on their fatal charge. He was posthumously awarded a Victoria Cross for bravery.
Harrison’s final resting place in unknown. He is remembered at Roehampton, St Mary’s Church in Wimbledon, Rosslyn Park FC, Dover College, Brockhurst School and Roundham Head, Paignton.
