'This Officer's Company was engaged in digging a communication trench from Crest Trench to Switch Trench on 16th September. The ground over which they had to work was heavily shelled by the enemy. Captain Harris laid off the tasks and kept the men at work until the Company was withdrawn after six hours work. Captain Harris's coolness and encouragement kept his men working in spite of casualties and the fact that the trench was continually blown in. He was wounded approximately an hour before the Company was withdrawn. He died on the 18th September.'
Awarded, and promulgated, 'London Gazette', 4 January 1917.

Regimental number	7/2018
Occupation	Farmer
Next of kin	Wife, Mrs Margaret Harris, 19 Dyer's Pass Road, Christchurch
Rank on embarkation	Captain
Unit name	New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 9th Reinforcements, Canterbury Mounted Rifles, C Squadron
Embarkation details	Unit embarked from Wellington on board SS Maunganui on 8 January 1916
Final rank	Captain
Final unit	New Zealand Pioneer Battalion
Recommendations (Medals and Awards)	Mention in Despatches 'This Officer's Company was engaged in digging a communication trench from Crest Trench to Switch Trench on 16th September. The ground over which they had to work was heavily shelled by the enemy. Captain Harris laid off the tasks and kept the men at work until the Company was withdrawn after six hours work. Captain Harris's coolness and encouragement kept his men working in spite of casualties and the fact that the trench was continually blown in. He was wounded approximately an hour before the Company was withdrawn. He died on the 18th September.' Awarded, and promulgated, 'London Gazette', 4 January 1917.
Fate	Died of wounds 18 September 1916
Age at death from cemetery records	46
Place of burial	Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension (Plot III, Row A, Grave No 13), France
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records	Father: Archdeacon Harris, Christchurch; Wife: Margaret Harris, 19 Dyer's Pass Road, Christchurch
Other details	War service: Egypt, Western Front Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Sources	Nominal Roll Vol. 2: Roll 21, p. 7