At some point before the war Harris left Manchester and moved to Picton Australia. While there he served as a fireman before enlisting in late 1914. He seems he remained in touch with his family, listing his mother, Yetta, as his next of kin on his enrolment papers.

On February 11th 1915 Harris boarded the HMAT Seang Choon and was transported to Egypt in preparation for the Gallipoli campaign. On the 25th of April Rolbin landed with his regiment on Anzac Cove and took part in one of the first waves of attack on the Turkish troops there. On the 30th of April he was shot in his back and was evacuated to the Convalescence Camp in Mustapha.

Harris Rolbin spent some time in the convalescence home at Mustapha but by June 1915 his health took a turn for the worse and he was diagnosed with a rheumatic fever, subsequently being transferred to a hospital in Cairo. As his condition continued to decline he was moved to Reading War Hospital and England and finally in March 1916, he was admitted to Dylabar War Hospital, Scotland.

While in Dylabar War Hospital Rolbin was diagnosed with decaying brain tissue, a fever of 103°F and a heart murmur. During this time before his death he became delirious and was prone to fits of hallucinations where he would break windows and had to be restrained. He eventually passed away on the 18th of January 1917, more than a year and a half after his original injury. His family were present and were able to give him a private burial in his home city of Manchester.

Before the First World War in 1913 the Rolbin family supported the local 'Cinderella Club' which worked to give food, clothes and entertainment to impoverished youths. The Rolbins hosted an event on their family farm where there for 300 poor Jewish children with sports and games and the children received parcels of sweets and toys.