Steve Harris MM
Steve "Taff" Harris in Malaya 1945
Stephen Harris, but more widely, known as 'Taff', was born in Swansea in 1916, but the family moved to Port Talbot shortly afterwards, and that was to be his home town for the remainder of his days. On leaving school, he found employment in the local steel and tin works, and in his spare time worked off his youthful energy and enthusiasm on the rugby field.
In 1942 he was `called up' into the Royal Artillery, but soon volunteered for parachuting and joined 13th Para Bn on its return from Normandy in 1944, and he was posted to A Coy. His first experience of battle could not have been a sterner test of his fighting qualities; against the elite of the German Panzers, with their Tiger tanks, in the 3-day battle to drive the enemy from the village of Bure in the Ardennes. A Company led the assault, armed only with bayonet, Sten and grenades; and pitted against a numerically superior force equipped with the heaviest armoured fighting vehicle of the time. Only the `win or die' spirit of the 13th won the battle and opened the road for the Allied armour to advance. By now the company had lost half its fighting strength.
After a month of holding defensive positions, combined with offensive patrolling, on the River Maas in Holland, the battalion returned to UK to prepare for Operation Varsity on 24 March 1945; a day Steve Harris would never forget.
On Sat 24 March, 3 P1 A Coy, 13th Para Bn was detailed as a fighting patrol on the extreme of the Brigade and Battalion flank. In this position it was very strongly attacked by SP guns and infantry. Pte Harris, during one enemy attack, noticed that the P1 flank was being threatened. He immediately dashed forward from the shelter of his slit trench firing his Sten and heedless of point blank 20mm and Spandau fire. The enemy, surprised by the suddenness of his action, retreated, leaving many dead. Later, when some Bn snipers were in difficulty, Pte Harris, realising their danger, went forward at once with a 2-in mortar in order to shorten his range, although himself exposed in the open, and completely disregarding the enemy fire, he gave the snipers smoke cover to withdraw. Throughout Pte Harris showed initiative and personal bravery of a very high order and complete contempt for the enemy. Steve received his well merited Military Medal from His Majesty King George VI at Buckingham Palace on 20 June 1945.
After further service throughout the campaign in Germany, and later in India, Singapore and Java, he returned to employment with the Steel Company of Wales (British Steel), and settled down to family life with his beloved wife Mary and their four children. He became a member of the South Wales Branch of the PRA, and also a life member of the Port Talbot British Legion, but clearly one of the highlights of his year was the Battalion annual reunion. One of the best known and highly respected members of 'Luard's Own', we too enjoyed his company for those few hours each year. Taff Harris, an amiable, giant of a man, both in body and spirit, will be greatly missed by us all.
In 1942 he was `called up' into the Royal Artillery, but soon volunteered for parachuting and joined 13th Para Bn on its return from Normandy in 1944, and he was posted to A Coy. His first experience of battle could not have been a sterner test of his fighting qualities; against the elite of the German Panzers, with their Tiger tanks, in the 3-day battle to drive the enemy from the village of Bure in the Ardennes. A Company led the assault, armed only with bayonet, Sten and grenades; and pitted against a numerically superior force equipped with the heaviest armoured fighting vehicle of the time. Only the `win or die' spirit of the 13th won the battle and opened the road for the Allied armour to advance. By now the company had lost half its fighting strength.
After a month of holding defensive positions, combined with offensive patrolling, on the River Maas in Holland, the battalion returned to UK to prepare for Operation Varsity on 24 March 1945; a day Steve Harris would never forget.
On Sat 24 March, 3 P1 A Coy, 13th Para Bn was detailed as a fighting patrol on the extreme of the Brigade and Battalion flank. In this position it was very strongly attacked by SP guns and infantry. Pte Harris, during one enemy attack, noticed that the P1 flank was being threatened. He immediately dashed forward from the shelter of his slit trench firing his Sten and heedless of point blank 20mm and Spandau fire. The enemy, surprised by the suddenness of his action, retreated, leaving many dead. Later, when some Bn snipers were in difficulty, Pte Harris, realising their danger, went forward at once with a 2-in mortar in order to shorten his range, although himself exposed in the open, and completely disregarding the enemy fire, he gave the snipers smoke cover to withdraw. Throughout Pte Harris showed initiative and personal bravery of a very high order and complete contempt for the enemy. Steve received his well merited Military Medal from His Majesty King George VI at Buckingham Palace on 20 June 1945.
After further service throughout the campaign in Germany, and later in India, Singapore and Java, he returned to employment with the Steel Company of Wales (British Steel), and settled down to family life with his beloved wife Mary and their four children. He became a member of the South Wales Branch of the PRA, and also a life member of the Port Talbot British Legion, but clearly one of the highlights of his year was the Battalion annual reunion. One of the best known and highly respected members of 'Luard's Own', we too enjoyed his company for those few hours each year. Taff Harris, an amiable, giant of a man, both in body and spirit, will be greatly missed by us all.
Steve Harris's Military Medals
Steve Harris's Military Medal
