William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

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William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby woods105 » Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:12 am

My great-uncle William Ewart G Morris was killed on 31st October 1914 at the battle of Gheluvelt. He was already a serving soldier when the First World War broke out. The 1911 census records him as a Private in the Worcestershire Regiment stationed at Albany Barracks, Isle of Wight. I was recently on holiday in England and by coincidence was in Worcester on the 31st October, being the 97th anniversary of the battle and my great-uncle's death. I visited Gheluvelt Memorial Park and was disappointed by the fact that it is almost impossible to read the inscriptions on the memorial plaques. I thought perhaps that the memorial plaques were old and had weathered, but an old soldier also paying his respects on that day told me that they have been there for just a few years. Does anyone know if there are plans to do something to make the inscriptions legible? Obviously a lot of time and money has been spent to up-grade Gheluvelt Memorial Park so it is a pity that the names of the soldiers killed in action are not highlighted from the background of the metal plaques.
Also, I would be grateful to know if anyone has any information on William Morris. I do know, via the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, that he has no known grave but has a plaque at Menin Gate.
Ann Woods, Melbourne, Australia.
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby corona » Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:37 pm

Hi Woods,
9555 PTE. WILLIAM MORRIS enlisted into the Wocestershire Regiment in 1905 and served in the 1st.Batt.
Age 18 years, born St.Stephens ,Worcester ,Trade Assistant? Next of Kin Father ,John Morris ,4 Fairlea Terr. Newtown, Malvern.
Recalled from the Army Reserve 5/8 1914 he posted was to the 2nd Batt.and landed in France 30/8/1914.
Both his Medal Card and Service Records(although damaged as a result of German WW2 bombing)can be seen on the pay for site Ancestry.
Regards,
corona.
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby peter » Tue Jan 03, 2012 3:52 pm

Hello Ann and welcome to the Louis Scully website.

I have been researching 1914 Star men of the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment for a number of years now (see my posting 2nd Battalion Drafts, Gheluvelt Roll in Mind on this site for more information) and your Great Uncle Pte. 9555 William Morris is one of these men on my database. I have just over 1650 names all told and each individual man has a folder that contains all the information on him that I have been able to find so far (service record, MIC, census returns etc.). All this information I have placed in the hands of the Regimental Archives (now in Worcester) and they can be contacted on:
museummercian@btconnect.com (see bottom of Home page on this site for more).
I can confirm all the information that Corona has posted in reply to your enquiry. William is also on the Nominal Roll (2nd and 3rd Battalion) at Worcester Cathedral. This can be viewed on this website.
The name William Ewart G. rang a bell for me and on checking the database one Pte. 8919 William Ewart Gladstone Smith came up, I only had William Morris down for your Great Uncle so you have supplied a little more detail for the database (I wonder if the G is for Gladstone, I looked up his birth on FreeBMD and he was born June Q. 1888, Worcester but gives only the name Morris, William Ewart G.).
Do you have a photograph of William? The one item mostly missing on all the men I have researched is a photograph.
Regarding the poor state of the names on the Memorial in Gheluvelt Park I will pass on your comments the next visit I make to the Regimental Archives and see if they have any information on this issue.
I'm sure you will get other postings regarding William but if I can be of any further help please ask.

Regards

Peter
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby woods105 » Wed Jan 04, 2012 7:53 am

Dear Corona
Thanks for your reply. I know some of the details regarding William Morris, but wasn't aware that he was recalled from the Army Reserve on 5th August 1914 and the date of his landing on 30th August 1914. William may only have been 17 years old when he enlisted in 1905 as he was born on the 8th March 1888.
As I subscribe to Find My Past I will see if his Medal Card and Service Records are available on that site, otherwise I can access Ancestry at my local library. Can you direct me to the relevant section on Ancestry if I need to use that site?
Are you a researcher, or do you have any connection to the Morris family?
Regards,
Ann Woods
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby woods105 » Wed Jan 04, 2012 8:55 am

Dear Peter
Thanks for your reply. I am amazed at the work you are carrying out - 1650 names. Could you please tell me what MIC stands for in regard to the information you have found. I will look at the links you have mentioned on this site.
I too wonder whether William's full name was William Ewart Gladstone Morris. I will let you know when I receive his birth certificate. What I do know is that he was born on the 8th March 1888, but the birth was obviously not registered until the June quarter (which takes in April, May and June). As Corona has said that he enlisted in the Worcestershire Regiment in 1905 he would have been only 17 years old not 18.
Unfortnately I do not have any photos of any of my Morris ancestors, apart from a few of my grandmother Winifred Morris, who was William's youngest sister, and Adelina Morris, who was one of William's elder sisters. I was hoping that through this forum I might find someone who has photos of the 2nd Battalion Worcester Regiment, but if there were any then obviously you would have come across them by now.
I am intrigued by your mention of "the Louis Scully website". Is this what you call your postings to this forum, or do you have a separate website?
I do hope you can find out why the inscriptions on the memorials at Gheluvelt Park have not been highlighted in a different colour to the background of the metal they are inscribed upon. I tried to take a photo of William's name, but unfortunately it is barely discernible from the orange/brown of the metal memorial.
Regards,
Ann Woods
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby corona » Wed Jan 04, 2012 11:30 am

Hi Ann,
Service Papers can be found on FIND MY PAST.
Go to ARMED FORCES AND CONFLICT and then to BRITISH ARMY SERVICE RECORDS 1760-1915.
Click on ADVANCED SEARCH and fill the boxes with the details you have.
For the the MIC on ANCESTRY go to MILITARY RECORDS and then to BRITISH ARMY ARMY WW1 MEDAL ROLLS.
Fill the boxes with the information you have.
I have no connection with your relation. I have a long standing interest in the Worcestershire Regiment and try
to help those seeking help and information on all periods of its history.
Regards,
corona
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby peter » Wed Jan 04, 2012 11:56 am

Hello Ann,
First the website you have been using with this forum is all the hard work of Louis Scully, he is the gent who has put all this together.
MIC stands for Medal Index Card, this gives us the information regarding what medals a soldier was entitled also when he went France and the Regiment he served in (William was entitled to 1914 Star and Clasp, British War and Victory medals).
I found a W. Morris named on the Malvern War Memorial so this could well be William (his service papers only give the name William Morris).
Could you clear up one point please, his mothers name. To date I have not found the family on the 1891 or 1901 census returns (still searching). On his service papers (which are not all that clear due to fire and water damage) he had an elder brother Albert John and a younger brother Frederick and six sisters.

Explanation for Clasp to 1914 Star.
His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the issue of a clasp to officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men who have actually been awarded the '1914 Star' under Army Order 350 of 1917, and who actually served under fire of the enemy in France and Belgium between the 5th August, 1914, and midnight 22nd/ 23rd November, 1914.
The clasp will be in bronze and will bear the inscription: '5th Aug.-22nd Nov., 1914'.
This was worn on the ribbon of the 14 Star medal.


Regards

Peter
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby corona » Wed Jan 04, 2012 4:53 pm

Hi Peter,
The MORRIS family can be found on the 1891 Census living at 32 PERDESWELL ST. SOUTH CLAINES ,WORCESTER.
The father, full name PHILIP JOHN MORRIS ,is absent.The mother LYDIA heads the family listings.
The 1901 Census has the family living at 4, PALE COTTAGE, BELMONT BOWLING ALLEY,MALVERN LINK the father described as a WIDOWER.
On the 1911 Census the father and one daughter are now living ,I believe,at 4 FAIRLEA TERR. NEWTOWN, MALVERN.
MORRIS SNR. is described as a Nursery Gardiner born Bosbury ,Hereford ,aged 64.
Regards,
corona
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby peter » Wed Jan 04, 2012 5:38 pm

Hi Corona,

Many thanks for the information. I did wonder about the name of Williams father with both Phillip and John being given as his name on Williams service papers.
So problem solved.

Regards

Peter
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby peter » Wed Jan 04, 2012 10:23 pm

Ann,

Just found out the reason for Williams name and I'm now sure the G is for Gladstone:

Four-times Liberal prime minister, William Ewart Gladstone was one of the most dominant political figures of the Victorian era.
I Should take more time to read up on British history, thank goodness for Google.

Regards

Peter
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby woods105 » Thu Jan 05, 2012 1:55 am

Dear Corona and Peter
Thanks to you both for further information.
Just one correction I need to make for you. William's mother's name was Sylvia not Lydia. I know in the 1891 Census she is recorded as Lydia, as is her daughter whose correct name is also Sylvia. All other Census records and birth, marriage and death certificates show the name Sylvia. It was either an incorrect transcription, although the original record does look like Lydia, or perhaps the enumerator misheard the name when he was taking the Census. Sylvia (nee Thomas) was born in 1850 at Worcester and died aged 42 on 4th June 1892 just a few months after my grandmother Winifred was born.
In the 1891 Census Philip John Morris, a Nursery Traveller, was a lodger in the home of Thomas Jackson, a Head Gardener, at Headingly, Leeds, Yorkshire. Perhaps Philip had to travel away for work.
Peter mentions William's siblings. He had 10 sisters, 3 of whom died in childhood, and 2 brothers. I wonder why in his service records only 6 sisters are mentioned. Even accounting for the 3 that died, there were 7 still living. Does the service record name his sisters?
His elder brother Albert worked for the Post Office, and his younger brother Frederick was, in the 1911 Census, a Corporal in the 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers, stationed at Pretoria, South Africa. I note in reading about the battle at Gheluvelt that the South Wales Borderers were involved, but it may not have been the same Battalion that Frederick served in.
Regards,
Ann
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby peter » Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:55 pm

Hi Ann,

I have checked Williams service record again and it does list 7 sisters and 2 brothers, sorry my mistake.

I passed on your remarks regarding the memorial in Gheluvelt Park on my visit to the Regimental Archives on Thursday.

Regards

Peter
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby woods105 » Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:00 am

Dear Peter
Your last message said that you had passed on my comments regarding the inscriptions on the memorials at Gheluvelt Park being almost illegible. Has there been any response from the Regimental Archives?
Another relative of William Morris, his sister Adelina's great-granddaughter who lives in Canada, hopes to visit Worcestershire this year. It would be nice if the inscriptions could be picked out in a different colour to the background to make them legible.
Since my last message I have obtained William's birth certificate and his full name was William Ewart Gladstone Morris and he was born on 8th March 1888 at Bilford Lane, South Claines/Worcester.

Regards
Ann
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby peter » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:02 pm

Hi Ann,

I was at Worcester today and again mentioned your request (after seeing your latest posting). I was informed that your comments had been passed on and that someone should be making contact with with you. If you don't hear from them let me know and I will follow this up with them again.

Regards

Peter
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Re: William Morris PTE 9555 2nd Battalion

Postby woods105 » Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:16 pm

Hello Peter

Thank you for following up about the Gheluvelt Memorial inscriptions. When someone contacts me I assume that it will be through this forum as I haven't given any other details.
I am surprised that I am the only person to have raised the problem with the inscriptions being almost illegible as they are the same colour as the background. I do hope something can be done as all those men who died need to be recognised.

Regards
Ann
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