Arthur Leyland Harrison facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arthur Leyland Harrison
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| Born | 3 February 1886 Torquay, Devon |
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| Died | 23 April 1918 (aged 32) Zeebrugge, Belgium |
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| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
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| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
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| Rank | Lieutenant-Commander | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unit | HMS Lion HMS Vindictive |
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| Battles/wars | World War I | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Awards |  Victoria Cross Mentioned in dispatches |
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Lieutenant-Commander Arthur Leyland Harrison was a brave officer in the Royal Navy during World War I. He was born on February 3, 1886, and sadly passed away on April 23, 1918. He received the Victoria Cross (VC), which is the highest award for bravery given to British and Commonwealth soldiers. This medal is given for incredible courage when facing the enemy.
Contents
Early Life and Sports
Arthur Leyland Harrison was born in Torquay, Devon, England. He went to Brockhurst Preparatory School and later Dover College. At school, he was a fantastic athlete, playing many different sports.
He especially loved rugby union. While serving in the Navy, he played for the England national rugby union team twice! He is the only England rugby player ever to receive the Victoria Cross. Another brave soldier named Jack Harrison, who played rugby league, also received the VC after he died in 1917.
On September 15, 1902, Arthur started his naval training. He was a cadet on the battleship HMS Mars. He also spent time on the armoured cruiser HMS Good Hope.
Serving in World War I
During most of World War I, Arthur served on the battlecruiser HMS Lion. He took part in important naval battles. These included the Battle of Heligoland Bight in 1914 and the Battle of Dogger Bank in 1915. He also fought in the huge Battle of Jutland in 1916. For his actions, he was mentioned in official reports, which means his bravery was noted.
The Zeebrugge Raid
The Zeebrugge Raid was a daring attack by the British Navy in April 1918. The goal was to stop German submarines from using the Belgian port of Zeebrugge as a base. The plan had two main parts:
- Landing special teams on the long pier, called the Mole, from an old cruiser called HMS Vindictive and two ferries.
- Sinking three old ships at the entrance of the harbour to block it completely.
HMS Vindictive was specially prepared for the raid. It had powerful weapons like howitzers and flamethrowers. It carried naval raiding parties and two companies of Royal Marines.
Arthur Leyland Harrison was in charge of the naval storming parties on HMS Vindictive. As the ship approached the Mole, a shell fragment hit him in the head. It broke his jaw and knocked him out.
Even though he was badly hurt, he quickly woke up. He then bravely went onto the Mole and took command of his team. Their job was to silence the German guns at the end of the Mole. This was super important for the mission to succeed.
Arthur led his men forward, even though they were completely exposed to enemy machine-gun fire. He was killed while leading his men in the attack. All the men with him were either killed or wounded.
Arthur Leyland Harrison showed incredible courage and determination. He knew that any delay in silencing the guns could put the whole mission at risk. He kept fighting despite his severe wounds and pain.
His body was never found after the raid. He is remembered on the Zeebrugge Memorial at the Zeebrugge Churchyard. This memorial also honours three other officers and one mechanic who died in the raid and have no known grave. There is also a brass plaque for him in the Warrior Chapel at St Mary's Wimbledon.
Another brave officer, George Bradford, who led raiding parties from the ferry Iris II, also received a Victoria Cross after he died for his actions in the raid.
His Victoria Cross Medal
Arthur's mother, Adelaide Ellen Harrison, received his Victoria Cross medal. She lived in Wimbledon, London. In 1967, his family donated the medal. It is now on display for everyone to see at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon.
See Also
- Albert Edward McKenzie
- List of international rugby union players killed in action during the First World War
Images for kids
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Zeebrugge Memorial. This monument remembers brave officers and a mechanic who died at Zeebrugge in 1918.
