Driver John R Harris

John Robert Harris was the son of Ethel Harris and the husband of Margaret Harris, of Paignton, Devon. He enlisted into The Royal Army Service Corps and volunteered for airborne forces.

Driver Harris was posted to 63 (Airborne) Composite Company, RASC, and took part in Operation Market Garden (Arnhem).

Dvr Harris was one of two Despatchers on Stirling LJ-843, of 196 Squadron RAF based at Keevil, he died on 21 September 1944, aged 27. The aircraft was shot down by Flak, and crashed north of Oranje Nassau’s Oord at Wageningen at 12.55 h. There were no survivors and all eight of the crew were recovered from the wreckage and were buried by local Air Raid Wardens in the Onder de Bomen General Cemetery at Renkum. All of the casualties were re-interred to Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery on 24 August 1945.

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