Dwight Carlton Harris was born Manhattan, New York City, in the United States of America, on 6th January 1884, the son, and only child of Dwight Miller and Ada Louise Harris (née Fanning). His father was a stockbroker with Weaver, Harris and Company, 35. Wall Street, New York City, and the family home was at 3. East 76th Street, New York City.
The family were quite wealthy, and travelled to Europe in 1894, staying for an unspecified, but lengthy period, before returning to New York City. Then, in July 1903, Dwight’s father died, aged 44 years, and although financially secure, Dwight obtained a job as a clerk in a Railroad office, for a brief period. Dwight and his mother resided after his father’s death with his maternal grandparents at 37, 5th. Avenue, New York City.
Following his brief period as a railroad company clerk, Dwight frequently travelled to England, and from there, made visits to mainland Europe. At some stage he met Aileen Cavendish Foster, who was from Bracknell, Berkshire, and whose father was 3rd baronet Colonel Sir William Yorke Foster, and the couple became engaged to be married.
In the spring of 1915, Dwight made plans to travel to England to get married and booked saloon passage on the May sailing of the
Lusitania from New York to Liverpool. He arrived at her berth at Pier 54 in New York in time for her scheduled 10 o’clock sailing. Having boarded - with ticket number 46141 - he was escorted to his accommodation in room A9, which was under the personal supervision of First Class Bedroom Steward Edward Bond, who came from Anfield, a district of Liverpool.
The liner’s departure was actually delayed until the early afternoon, so that she could take on board passengers, cargo and some crew from the Anchor Lines vessel the
Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty for war work as a troop ship. Then, six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, she was torpedoed twelve miles off the coast of southern Ireland by the German submarine
U-20, and sank two miles closer inland. At that stage of her voyage, she was only 250 miles from her home port.
Dwight Harris was one of just over 100 saloon passengers to survive this action and having been rescued from the sea, he was landed at Queenstown, from where he finally made it to his destination in Bracknell. He was aged 31 years at the time of his experience.
In his book Lusitania, Sage and Myth, published in 2001, author David Ramsay quotes the following story concerning Dwight Harris, which was told to him by Count Bertil Bernadette who had heard the story from Dwight and Aileen Harris: -
For many years afterwards, ..... Dwight Harris, would relate how he had taken the precaution of ordering a specially-designed lifejacket from the well-known New York sporting outfitters, Abercrombie & Fitch, before he sailed. The lifejacket was fitted with several pockets for carrying valuables and the prudent Harris wore it from the time Lusitania entered the danger zone, with his wife Eileen's (sic.) jewels stowed in one of its secure pockets. He described how he had been on deck and had seen the torpedo strike. With some presence of mind, he rushed down to his cabin and collected a couple of books and his toothbrush, before returning to the deck and seeing Eileen (sic.) into a lifeboat. He went into the sea, and supported by his 1ifejacket floated comfortably until he was picked up by one of the rescue boats. When Eileen (sic.) Harris reached Queenstown, she asked to be directed to the best hotel, where she knew that she would find her husband and, just as she expected, there he was waiting for her.
However, despite the strength of the story, there is no evidence in any extant records that Aileen Harris was actually on board the
Lusitania when she was sunk! David Ramsay’s informant was told this account in the 1940s and it is possible that by then, the story had become confused in the minds of the participants
Bedroom Steward Edward Bond who had looked after Dwight Harris in room A9 also survived and although he was sucked down one of the liner’s funnels and blown back out again, he survived his ordeal none the less damaged, to return eventually to his Anfield home.
On the 3rd July 1915, Dwight married Aileen Cavendish Foster at the Holy Trinity Church in Bracknell, and they couple took up residence at Cliff House, Shaftesbury, Dorset. While residing there, their two children were born – Dwight Berkeley, born in May 1916, and Aileen, born in June 1917
Having decided to remain in England until the war ended, Dwight became the secretary of the American Y.M.C.A., 12. New Street, Salisbury.
The family divided their time between England and America for many years, before Dwight and Aileen finally settled in New York City.
Dwight Harris died in Manhattan, New York City, on the 7th December 1970, aged 86 years.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Cunard Records, U.S. Consular Registration Certificates 1907 – 1918, U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards 1917 - 1918, U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards 1942, Lusitania Saga and Myth, PRO BT 100/345, Graham Maddocks, David Ramsay, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.