Norman Charles Harris

Norman Charles Harris
CMG DSO MC
Official Victorian Railways portrait, c. 1928
Chairman of Commissioners of the Victorian Railways
In office
1940–1950
Preceded byHarold Winthrop Clapp
Succeeded byRobert Wishart
Personal details
Born(1887-04-10)10 April 1887
Moonee Ponds, Victoria
Died3 May 1963(1963-05-03) (aged 76)
Brighton, Victoria
EducationMcGill University (MSc)
OccupationEngineer
Civilian awards
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Military service
AllegianceAustralia
Branch/serviceCitizen Military Forces
Australian Imperial Force
Years of service
1912–1928
RankLieutenant Colonel
Battles/warsFirst World War
Military awardsDistinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Mentioned in Despatches (2)

Norman Charles Harris, CMG, DSO, MC (10 April 1887 – 3 May 1963) was an Australian railways administrator and decorated First World War army engineer who served as the chairman of Commissioners of the Victorian Railways from 1940 until 1950.

Career

Harris attended Scotch College, Melbourne, and studied engineering at McGill University in Montreal. He worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway followed by the Hydro-Electric Power Co. in Tasmania and in 1913 became a draftsman for the Victoria Railways and then joining his father in the rolling stock division.[1]

During the First World War, Harris served on the Western Front with the 2nd Divisional Engineers. He organised trench improvements and the construction of four bridges over the River Ancre near Albert, Somme. He was awarded the Military Cross and a Distinguished Service Order.[2][3] After the war, he spent some time in England, studying their railway system.[1]

Returning to Melbourne in 1919, he became Assistant Chief Mechanical Engineer in 1922, Chief Mechanical Engineer in 1928, a Commissioner in 1933, and Chairman of Commissioners in 1940.[1]

The blue Melbourne Suburban Electric Harris trains were named after him in 1956.[1][4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Clark, Sebastian Clark (1996). "Harris, Norman Charles (1887–1963)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
  2. ↑ "Search Australian Honours: HARRIS, Norman Charles: Distinguished Service Order", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 25 November 2014
  3. ↑ "Search Australian Honours: HARRIS, Norman Charles: Military Cross", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 25 November 2014
  4. ↑ Train History: Melbourne Train History, Melbourne Oldschooler, archived from the original on 28 July 2012
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