Lieutenant-Colonel “Tommy” Harris
2nd Battalion, Royal Ulster Regiment

Lieutenant-Colonel Harris has commanded his battalion since D Day, His leadership, example, and coolness under fire have been a source of inspiration to his battalion. In the battles for Cambes, Caen, and Troarn, he was invariably to be found in the forefront of the battle encouraging his men in spite of the heavy fire through which the battalion had always to advance.

(D.S.O. citation, 14 Feb 1945)

Born on 7 July 1910 in County Tipperary, Ireland, Ian Cecil Harris was commissioned with the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1930 after attending Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He served with the 2nd Battalion in Sudan, and the 1st Battalion in Palestine, Egypt and Hong Kong. In the late 1930s, he was posted to Shanghai and then served in India on the North West Frontier. By 1941, he had complete staff college at Camberley and became brigade major for the 129th Infantry Brigade.

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