Morris, Cecil William by Central Coast Council

Gosford District Casualties of World War One Bragg, Allen Morris,Edmund Cecil William

Service ServiceNumber Number1494 160 Killed in Action 19th May 1915 Killed in Action 6th August 1915 Gallipoli Lone Pine,Peninsula Gallipoli

Gosford City Council gratefully acknowledges the voluntary efforts of Benalyn Campbell And Vivienne Tranter in compiling this resource

The information in this file has been extracted from official records held in the The Australian War Memorial and National Archives of Australia (ÂŠ Commonwealth of Australia [National Archives of Australia] 2013) Further information on this soldier may be found online at: Commonwealth War Graves The AIF project Content advisory: This file may potentially contain disturbing accounts of service-related injury and death, disease and family grief. Adult supervision is recommended for children using these resources. Individual files should be viewed within the context provided by wider research on service conditions in the 1 st AIF. This resource is presented by Gosford City Council for research purposes only. Please note that copyright for resources contained within remains with the original copyright owners.

NAME

Morris, Cecil William

SERVICE NO

160

UNIT

3rd Battalion

RANK

Private

AGE at Enlistment

23 yrs

PLACE OF BIRTH

Walgett, NSW

ADDRESS OCCUPATION

Sanitary Inspector

DATE OF ENLISTMENT

17 Aug 1914

PLACE OF ENLISTMENT

Randwick, NSW

PREVIOUS SERVICE

3 yrs

NEXT OF KIN

Father;-(Sergeant) William Morris, Police Station Gosford, NSW

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION RELIGION

Height-5’10”. Weight-164lbs. Chest-37”. Complexion-Fair. Eyes-Blue. Hair-Light. Small growth on back of L/Hand R/C

EMBARKED

“Euripides”

DISEMBARKED NOTES

23 Jul 1915-Refused to obey a lawful command by superior officer.

WOUNDED/ILLNESS

6 Aug 1915-shell or bayonet wound to stomach/side

DIED

6 Aug 1915- Lone Pine- Gallipoli

BURIED

Thought to be buried in trench where he died

MEDALS

1914-15 Star-11746, British War Medal-3031, Victory Medal-3031. Memorial Plaque & Scroll-301486.

DEPENDANTS

Mother;- Nellie Morris

PERSONAL EFFECTS

Letters, Postage Stamps, Brush Tin, Brush, Wallet, Cards, Housewife, Key Chain, Tin, Purse, Scarf, Knee Pad, Military Book/

WILL CORRESPONDENCE

Father/ Mother/ M Mayo (Mrs?) Mother of R S Mayo d 1918 France/ Thelma May Morris (sister)15.7.1967/

For transcription please see next page. Gosford Timesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;9th July 1915

Gosford Times 9th July 1915 AT THE FRONT Private Cecil Morris, son of Sergeant Morris, of gosford, writes from Imtafa, Malta, under date May 5:I suppose you have heard all about our battle with the Turks. I am wounded in the leg and hand with shrapnel after having had a fortnight’s fighting. We were landed, under a perfect hail of shot and shell, in small boats, in small boats each containing about 50 men. Some of the boats by the time they reached the shore had nothing but loads of mangled humanity. The Turks had hundreds of machine guns and concealed batteries commanding the beach, and it looked an utter impossibility for our men to land. However, we fixed bayonets, jumped out of the boats into the water up to our waists, and made for the shore. We were soon struggling with wire entanglements fitted under the water, and here again there was heavy slaughter among the landing parties before we finally got to the land. The Turks then endeavoured to drive us back into the sea with the bayonet, but our chaps, knowing what was in store, fought as never a fight has been waged before, and gradually gained foothold. The coast where we landed is something like Terrigal round about The Skillion, and we had to scale up these huge cliffs that were absolutely swarming with the enemy. They were yelling “Allah, Allah” and sounding all the British Bugle Calls. Others were shouting out orders to retreat, the object being to confuse us. But we had had warnings about the enemy’s tactics and took no notice of them, beyond rushing their trenches with the bayonet. The Australians fought with such grim tenacity, that the enemy gave way everywhere, and retired to the heights from where they fired volleys of rifle fire on the attackers below. While we were landing, one of them stood up and yelled in English, “Come on, you Kangaroo ---------, you are not fighting Cairo----------now”. After an hour’s fighting, and with the assistance of the warships (Queen Elizabeth included), we had control of the hill and started to advance and built trenches under heavy fire for the day. When advancing, the order was to run ahead about 20 yards, one at a time, and drop down, eventually forming one long firing line. During these operations I had a peculiar creepy experience. I was advancing and ran up the distance and dropped between two other comrades. I asked the one on my right the range and he did not answer. Turning to the one on my left I repeated the question, but no reply came. Both poor fellows were stone dead, shot through the head while still remaining in a firing position. Needless to say, I soon shifted on. We were entrenched one night about 10 o’clock and the order came along from mouth to moutn, “cease firing, Indians on the right about to charge.” Se we stopped firing. The Turks then came in thousands, but we mowed them down. This looked a bit “fishy”, and our officer told us to look out for anyone passing orders. Another order started to come along, and the chap that started it was grabbed. He turned out to be a German dressed in an Australian uniform. He has ceased to exist. It was the second Sunday, at 8 o”clock at night, that I got hit. The wounds, however, were not serious, although I was packed off to the hospital at Malta – The British call us “white Gurkas.” An English officer said he never saw men fight like the Australians, and that the fighting was worse that at Mons. At time of writing I am doing well, but expect to be sent from here to England to get thoroughly well again. I suppose you know more about Dardanelles in Australia than I have heard. We who have actually been in the fighting line know little about things in general, the operations being so extensive. By the bye, when I was hit I was ordered to get back to the first dressing station. While doing so as best I could, I met an old “cobber” and was shaking hands with him when a bullet came “zip” and planted itself in his shoulder. He coolly said “hold on, I will come with you.” Do not worry where Lance Mason or any of the other Gosford chaps are.

Gosford Times 24th December 1915 KILLED IN GALLIPOLI ANOTHER GOSFORD HERO In October last Private Mayo, writing home, reported that Private Cecil W. Morris, of Gosford, had been killed in the charge on the Turkish trenches at Lonesome Pine on 6th August last. No confirmatory news was received from the military authorities, and Sergeant Morris at once placed himself in communication with the Officer of Base Records. Several cables were sent to and fro, and on 16th instant the following letter was received from the Department of Defence:“In continuation of letter dated 30th ultimo, a further cable has been received from Egypt that No. 160, Private C.W. Morris, 3rd Battalion, was last seen on the parapet of a Turkish trench seriously wounded. The foregoing is the result of an enquiry made to the Officer commanding your son’s battalion, - Yours faithfully, J.M. LEAN, Capt.” The letter from the Defence Authorities confirms the authenticity of Private Mayo’s statement, and there is little to doubt but that another of Gosford’s gallant young men has fallen in mortal combat against the enemies of our King and Country. Private Cecil Morris was the eldest son of Sergeant Morris, of Gosford, and, had he lived would have celebrated his 21 st birthday on 21st October. He was educated at Gosford, Burwood and Fort Street Superior Schools, and was last employed as clerk in Messrs. Goodall’s office Sydney, On the outbreak of war he enlisted in the 1st Expeditionary Force and was sent to Egypt and later to the Dardanelles. He was twice wounded prior to the storming of the Turkish trenches at Lonesome Pine. As already stated, Private Morris was but 21 years of age, and was an all-round athlete, just the type of young Australian that would play his part when acts requiring grit and courage were called for, otherwise he would not have received his death blow on the parapet of the enemy’s trenches. We deeply sympathise with the parents and family relatives in their sad bereavement, but they have the consultation of knowing that their brave young soldier boy died doing his duty with his face to the foe, as so many of our gallant young Australians have done in this cruel and world-wide war.

Gosford Times 11th August 1916 IN MEMORIUM MORRIS- In loving memory of Cecil William Morris, killed in action at Lone Pine, Gallipoli on 6th August, 1915. He rose responsive to his country’s call, He gave his life, his best, his all. Inserted by his sorrowing parents, brothers and sisters, Gosford.

Gosford Times 16th November 1916 A list of 494 Australian soldiers who were killed at Gallipoli, but were previously reported wounded, has just been published. Among the names is Private Cecil Morris, son of Sergeant Morris, of Gosford, Proof of his death at Lone Pine was obtained over 12 months ago.

Gosford Times 8th August 1918 ROLL OF HONOR MORRIS- In loving memory of Cecil William Morris, killed in action at Lone Pine, Gallipoli, August 6 th, 1915. “Duty Nobly Done” Inserted by his loving parents, sisters and brothers.

Gosford Times 7th August 1919 MORRIS – In loving memory of Cecil Willaim Morris, killed in action at Lone Pine on the 8th August, 1916. The graves of those who fell at Lonesome Pine, Wove their best lives on freedom’s great design; Not their’s, not their’s are spirits that repine, Though weak winds whisper to the woeful skyGood-bye, Gallipoli, Good-bye. Inserted by his loving parents, brothers and sisters.

Abridged record/s courtesy of the National Archives of Australia (NAA) Series No: B2455 Item Barcode: 7984266