Pte 16192 George Morrell

• Age: 19
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Danzig Alley Cem, Mametz
  Panel Ref: Mem.22

16192 Private George MORRELL, 1 Company, 18^th Battalion KLR.

George Morrell, born on the 22^nd April 1897 in Apollo Street, Everton, Liverpool, the elder of two sons born to Nathan Morrell and his wife Mary Ellen, known as Helen, (nee Holding) of 43, Clovelly Road, Anfield, Liverpool. They married on the 21^st January 1892 at Emmanuel Church, Everton, Nathan was a 25 year old engineer of 39 Clifton Road, father Nathan, whilst Mary was aged 23 of 18 Queens Road, father Joseph.

His father was a mariner, born in Liverpool in 1866, he is found on crew lists as an engineer with the Alfred Holt Line in the early 1900s. Their first child, Nathan, was born in 1894, but died at 8 months, the family then living in August Road.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 113 Empress Road, Liverpool. George's mother, Mary, aged 32, born 1869 with no occupation listed and was born in Wigan. His father Nathan doesn’t appear on the Census and is likely to be away at sea. George is aged 3, born 1898 in Liverpool.         

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 27 Sandringham Road, Liverpool. George's mother Mary Ellen is aged 42 and has no occupation listed. Her husband Nathan still doesn’t appear on the Census and is again most likely away at sea. They have been married for nineteen years and have had three children of which one had sadly died. George is now aged 13 and at college and John Edward is aged 5, born 1906 in Liverpool.              

George enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 03^rd September 1914, giving his age as 19 years 5 months, and his occupation as a chemist (Messrs: Bibby, Oil and Cake manufacturers) and gave his next of kin as his father of 43 Clovelly Road. It seems that George was happy to tell lies about his age in order to join up - and his attestation papers show that he had already been rejected because of his “chest measurement”. In fact, he was probably “lucky” to be accepted in September 1914 as he is said to have been 5’10” tall, weighing 117 lbs and his chest when expanded fully measured only 34 ½ inches, He had a sallow complexion, brown eyes and hair and stated his religion as Church of England.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain.

He embarked for France with his Battalion on board the SS Invicta on 07^th November 1915, disembarking at Boulogne. 

From 23^rd February to 5^th March 1916 was attached to 30^th Divisional Grenade School for training.

George was killed in action on 01^st July 1916, during the attack on Montauban on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme.

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter wrote in the conclusion of his account of the day’s action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.   

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.  

His parents placed a notice in the Liverpool Daily Post on the 17th July 1916:

“July 1, killed in action, aged 19 years, Private George Morrell (“Pals”), dearly-loved eldest son of N. and H. Morrell,  43, Clovelly Road, Anfield.” 

He was aged 19 and was originally buried in Vernon Street Cemetery, Carnoy but his remains were lost probably through enemy shelling, and he is now commemorated on the war memorial in Dantzig Alley British Memorial. The Inscription on his headstone reads

"TILL HE COME, THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST 1 THES.4 .16."  

The village of Mametz was carried by the 7th Division on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, after very hard fighting at Dantzig Alley (a German trench) and other points. The cemetery was begun later in the same month and was used by field ambulances and fighting units until the following November. The ground was lost during the great German advance in March 1918 but regained in August, and a few graves were added to the cemetery in August and September 1918. At the Armistice, the cemetery consisted of 183 graves, now in Plot I, but it was then very greatly increased by graves (almost all of 1916) brought in from the battlefields north and east of Mametz and from certain smaller burial grounds, including:

VERNON STREET CEMETERY, CARNOY, in the valley between Carnoy and Maricourt, at a place called "Squeak Forward Position". 110 soldiers who died in July-October 1916 were buried here by the 21st Infantry Brigade and other units.

Dantzig Alley British Cemetery now contains 2,053 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 518 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 17 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 71 casualties buried in other cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

His name appeared in the list of K.L.R. Killed published in the Liverpool Post & Mercury on the 07th August 1916. 

The CWGC, Pension Card, and Soldiers’ Effects, show 18th Bn., whereas the Medal Roll shows only 17th Bn K.L.R. (apparently in error). 

George’s Army effects and a War Gratuity of £8 went to his father who also received his personal items, 5 photos.  A pension card in the name of his mother, Mrs. Helen Morrell, 43 Clovelly Road, does not specify the amount awarded.

George is remembered on the following Memorials:

Beoco Ltd (British Edible Oils Co) war memorial in Regent Road, Bootle

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Richmond Park, Anfield, Liverpool