Pte 22779 Arthur Morris

• Age: 24
• From: Ruabon N.Wales
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Arthur Morris was born in late 1892 at Ruabon, North Wales and was baptised on the 25th January 1893 in Ruabon. He was the son of William Morris and his wife Annie (née Astle). At the time of his baptism the next day on the 26th his parents lived in Duke Street, and his father was a labourer. 

His parents married on the 06th July 1891 in the Parish Church, Ruabon. William was a 25 year old labourer of Ruabon, father John a blacksmith, whilst Annie was aged 22 of Ruabon, father George a railway guard. Records have been found for eight children. Arthur had an elder sister Elsie, and younger siblings Gladys, Gwendoline, Amy Constance, Beatrice Nellie, Harold Llewelyn, and Annie Isabel. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at Queen Street, Bryn Fields, Ruabon. His father, William, is aged 45, born in Ruabon in 1866 occupation, brick setter in a kiln brick works, his mother, Annie is aged 42, and has no occupation listed. They have been married for nineteen years and have had eight children of which one had died. They have five children declared in their home:  Arthur aged 18, is a grocer’s assistant, Gwennie aged 15, born 1896 has no occupation listed, Amy aged 12, born 1899 and Nellie aged 9, born 1902 are at school and Harold  is aged 2, born 1909. They also have a boarder living with them William Dunham aged 30, born 1881 at Northampton and he is employed as a labourer. 

Elsie, 19, and Gladys, 16, are in service in Ruabon.

Another daughter, Annie Isabel, was born the following year.

Some time after the census Arthur, like so many young men from North Wales, moved to Liverpool to work.

He enlisted on the 14th November 1914 at Liverpool joining the 20^th Battalion (No3 Company) of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 22779. He gave his age as 21 years and 360 days and his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five feet seven and half inches tall, weighed 126lbs, 34” chest, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and his next of kin as his father, William, of Queen Street. He states he has lived out of his father’s house for less than three years.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th 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 arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

His service records show:

11.1.16 Attached to Divisional Base Depot.  

09.3.16 Rejoined unit in the field from 30th I.B.D.

03.4.16: Admitted to 55 Field Ambulance with a fever of unknown origin.

05.4.16: Returned to duty with unit.

Arthur was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 23, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July. 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

Arthur was initially declared Missing in the Liverpool Daily Post on Friday 15 September 1916: 

An entry on his Casualty Form dated 18th August records him Killed in Action on 30th July 1916.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 30th August 1916 under the banner:

Wrexham and Ruabon Men:  

“Private Arthur Morris, son of Mr. William Morris, Bryn Fields, Ruabon, has also been killed in action whilst serving with the King’s (Liverpool Regiment).  Private Morris, who was twenty-two [sic] years of age, was for a few years prior to the outbreak of war in the employ of a Liverpool firm of grocers and provision merchants.”

Arthur's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

He earned his three medals.

In November 1916 his mother signed for his personal effects: 1 Pocket wallet containing photos, p’cards, and one testament.  She acknowledged receipt, but wrote that she did not receive Arthur’s wristlet watch, fountain pen, or cigarette case.

His Army pay of £2 11s 1d and a War Gratuity of £7-10s went to his father William.

The pension card in the name of his mother at 8 Bryn View, Queen Street, shows that she was awarded a pension of 10/- a week from May 1917.

In 1919 his parents were still living at 8 Queen Street, with Elsie 27, Gladys 24, Amy 20, Harold 11, and Annie 6.  No information is provided for his other sisters Nellie or Gwendoline.

Arthur is remembered on the following Memorials:

Ruabon War Memorial, North Wales

Wrexham And East Denbighshire Book Of Remembrance.

We currently have no further information on Arthur Morris, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.