Pte 21561 Arthur Hugh Morris

• Age: 28
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• D.O.W Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Dive Copse B C, Sailly-le-sec
  Panel Ref: II.E.25

Arthur Hugh Morris was born in the June quarter of 1888 in Liverpool and was the son of Owen and Margaret Morris (nee Roberts) of 1 Lothair Road, Anfield, Liverpool who were married in 1878 in Bangor, Caernarvonshire. 

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 114 Venmore Street, Everton.

Arthur is shown as 3 years of age and lives with his parents and three elder siblings. His father is 46 years of age, born in Llaneugrad, Anglesey in 1845, his occupation shown as a joiner, whilst his mother Margaret is aged 39, born 1852 in Bangor. His siblings are recorded as Jane aged 11, Thomas O. aged 9 and Elizabeth aged 4. 

The 1901 Census shows the family are still living at 114 Venmore Street, Everton.

Arthur is 13 years of age and lives with his parents and two elder siblings. His father is still a joiner as is his brother Thomas O. who is 19 years old. His mother is 49 years of age and his remaining sibling in the household is his elder sister Elizabeth aged 14.   

By the time of the 1911 Census the family have moved and are now living at 1 Lothair Road, Anfield, Liverpool. 

His father Owen is aged 66, his occupation shown as a joiner whilst his mother Margaret is aged 59, all of their children were born in Liverpool. They have been married for thirty two years and have had seven children of which one had sadly died. Those children recorded in the household at the time of the Census are; Thomas aged 29, born 1882 occupation joiner, Elizabeth aged 24, born 1887 no occupation, Arthur Hugh aged 23, born 1888 is a timber clerk, Margaret aged 19, born 1892 has no occupation listed and John aged 17, born 1894 is a coal clerk. They also have a nephew Hugh William aged 14, born 1897 in Anglesea living with them.  

Prior to the war Arthur was employed by John Collier, Timber Merchants and had been a member of the Anfield Welsh Methodist Chapel. 

He enlisted at St George's Hall, Liverpool on the 04th September 1914 at Liverpool and gave his age as twenty five years and 200 days and occupation as clerk. He was five feet four inches tall, weighed 122lbs, 35” chest, with fresh complexion, hazel eyes, dark coloured hair and gave his religion as Church of England. His next of kin was father Owen, 1 Lothair Road. 

Formed on 07^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th 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 record shows:

26.3.16: Temp. attached to 89th Brigade Machine Gun Company. 

16.4.16: Rejoined unit. 

20.4.16: Reported sick to Field Ambulance.  

21.4.16: Admitted to 55 F.A. - Not Yet Diagnosed. 

24.4.16: Myalgia – discharged to unit. 

28.4.16:  Permanently attached to Machine Gun Corps (89th Machine Gun Company). 

He was serving in the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 21561 when he received gunshot wounds to the chest and arms on the 30th July 1916 at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. He died in the Main Dressing Station R.A.M.C 13 Corps.  

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 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.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

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 now rests at Dive Copse British cemetery, Sailly-le-Sec, France.

Dive Copse Cemetery, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, is 13 miles southwest of Guillemont.  In June 1916, before the Somme offensive, the ground north of the cemetery was chosen for a concentration of field ambulances, which became the XIV Corps Main Dressing Station.  Dive Copse was a small wood close by, under the Bray-Corbie road, named after the officer commanding this station. Plots I and II were filled with burials from these medical units between July and September 1916.  Plot III contains the graves of 77 men who died in August 1918 as well as graves brought in from scattered sites and small cemeteries in the area.  The cemetery now contains 589 burials and commemorations of the First World War, 29 of which are unidentified but there are special memorials to 10 casualties known to be buried among them.  

The Liverpool Echo gave the following report on the 23rd August 1916:

A SPLENDID WORKER

Private A.H. Morris, who died of wounds received in France on July 30th, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Owen, 1 Lothair Road, Anfield, Liverpool. He left the service of John Collier, Ltd, Timber merchants, Liverpool, to join the "Pals"in August, 1914, and went to France in October, 1915. Recently he had been transferred to the machine gun company, and in the great push of July 1 he, with other members of his gun team, was specially praised for fine work against a strong counter attack by the enemy.
In a letter to his parents , Capt J.H. Roxburgh states:
"he came to my company from the -- battalion at a time when we were very badly in need of men with actual experience, and I have never been sorry that he came. He was a most reliable man to have and had a thorough knowledge of his work. He was a splendid worker, and always kept the other men's spirits up. We are all very sorry indeed to lose him. Please accept from the whole company and myself the deepest sympathy." 

MORRIS - Mrs O. Morris and family, 1 Lothair Road, Anfield, desire to express their heartfelt thanks for the kind expressions of sympathy and sincerity showed in their recent sad bereavement. 

Liverpool Daily Post - Monday 02 October 1916 

DIED OF WOUNDS. 

King’s (Liverpool Regiment) - Morris, 21561, A. H.; 

Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 25 September 1917 

MORRIS – In affectionate remembrance of Private Arthur H. Morris, 1 Lothair-road, Anfield, who died of wounds in France, July 30, 1916. 

We know it not, the place wherein you rest; 

Nor could be near to bid our last farewell.  

But still trust, the Master's way is best; 

To Him our sorrows and our griefs we tell.  

A weary year has passed since death did sever,  

And take from us the one we still hold dear; 

We'll meet again up there, and part-no, never!  

This knowledge soothes the pain and dries the tear.  

—His loving Brother, Sergeant J. R. Morris. [John Richard, R.A.S.C. S4/12812] 

His father received his personal effects which included one letter, five photos, one purse, two visiting cards, one dictionary, one .. book and one German book and and pension to mother Margaret. 

His father died aged 73 on the 14th Jan 1918 and was buried on the 18th at Kirkdale Cemetery.  

Liverpool Echo - Thursday 17 January 1918 

MORRIS - January 14, suddenly at 1 Lothair Road, Anfield, aged 73 years, Owen, the beloved husband of Margaret Morris. Funeral at Kirkdale Cemetery, Longmoor Lane on Friday at 2:30 p.m. 

Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 29 January 1918 

MORRIS - Mrs O. Morris and family, 1 Lothair Road, Anfield, desire to express their heartfelt thanks for the kind expressions of sympathy and sincerity showed in their recent sad bereavement.  

Probate:- 

MORRIS Owen of 1 Lothair Road, Walton Liverpool joiner and contractor died 14 January 1918 probate Liverpool 7 March to Margaret Morris widow. effects £958 14s. 

Mother Margaret and son John Richard drop off the Electoral roll at Lothair Road in 1925. 

A family tree suggests she died on the 25th Oct 1934 and was buried at Kirkdale Cemetery. 

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