South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of Warwickshire - World War One


Lieutenant Anthony George Atwood MORRIS - 1st Battalion, Royal Lancaster Regiment

Killed in Action on Tuesday 13th October 1914 aged 27

AGA Morris


Military History

     
Theatre of War in Which Died WW1 Campaign Medals Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France & Flanders 1914 Star, British War & Victory Medals Meteren Isolated Grave
     
First Arrived in a War Theatre Bravery & Conduct Medals Warwickshire War Memorials
23 Aug 1914 in Boulogne, France Pailton War Memorial
     
Action, Battle or Other Reason Died Date and Place Commissioned Other War Memorials
Battle of Messines 26th September 1906 as 2nd Lt Royal Memorial Chapel, Sandhurst
    Winchester College Memorial
Place of Death Previous Regiments or Units Elford War Memorial
near Meteren ~ Stubbington House School
     

Service History

  • 26 Sep 1906 - Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in 3rd Battalion, Royal Lancaster Regiment
  • 12 Apr 1911 - Promoted to Lieutenant in Royal Lancaster Regiment

Circumstances of Death

Anthony is listed as being killed in action on 13th October 1914 in Meteren. The 1st Battalion war diary entries for the period 12th to 14th October are transcribed below.

Hazebrouk – 12 Oct 1914: On train via Amiens, Boulogne, Calais to Hazebrouck where we arrived at 9pm. Cleared out of train & went into billets in town at 11pm.

10th & 11th Brigades already arrived and in outposts to N & E of town. 6th Division on our right. 12th Brigade in reserved in Hazebrouck.

Hazebrouk – Meteren - 13 Oct 1914: At 9am 4th Division marched eastward in 2 Columns. 12th Inf Bde & 32nd Battalion R F A formed right column, VI Division is on our right.

Brigade marched to Rouge Croix, the enemy, reported by Cavalry, to be holding Meteren. Brigade attacked the village – 400 yards each side of R Croix – Les Ormes – Meteren road. King’s Own and Essex Regt in front lines, Lancs Fusiliers & Inniskilling in 2nd line. King’s Own allotted front 400 yards on right of road.

Reached outskirts of Meteren about 2pm. Heavy artillery? and rifle fire opened us from village. Enemy had excellent field of fire. About 4pm we were shelled at close range by 9” just south of village.

There was a long gap between our right & VI Division, Lancs Fus were sent to fill in the gap but at nightfall they had not reached position.

After dark King’s Own Regt started to entrench and at 9pm Lancs Fus marched into village & found enemy to have evacuated it. King’s Own stayed in trenches all night.

Map of MeterenClick to enlarge

Casualties: Lt Morris, 2/Lt Walsh? & 44 men killed. Lt’s Matthews & Bridger? & 32 men wounded. 15 men missing.

Meteren - 14 Oct 1914: 11th Brigade advanced towards Nieppe. 12th Brigade advanced towards Bailleul & went into billets.


 
 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/Place Baptism Date/Place
19 May 1887 in Elford, Staffs 26 Jun 1897 in Elford, Staffs                
   
Parents Names Abode
Frederic Arthur Morris Esq and Cunitie Morris Pailton House, Rugby
   
Schools Colleges
Stubbington House School, Hants Sandhurst Military College
Winchester College 1901 to 1903   
   
Address History Employment History
1887 - Elford, Lichfield, Staffs 1892 - Scholar 
1891 - 32 Addison Mansions, Hammersmith 1901 - Student at Winchester College                
1901 - 1 Compton Road, Winchester 1906 - Cadet at Sandhurst Military College
1911 - Army Barracks, Jersey, Channel Islands 1907 - 2nd Lt in Royal Lancaster Regiment
1914 - Dover Castle Barracks, Dover, Kent 1911 - Lt in Royal Lancaster Regiment
1914 - Pailton House, Rugby 1914 - Lt in Royal Lancaster Regiment
   

Photograph Courtesy of Winchester College.