Pte 21989 Edward Morris

• Age: 19
• From: Wrexham, N.Wales
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

21989 Private Edward MORRIS, 18^th Battalion, KLR.

Edward Morris was born in Wrexham. His birth was registered in the September quarter of 1897, which matches his age on the census, making him 17 years old when he enlisted and 18 when he was killed. He was the son of John Morris and his wife Elizabeth (nee Davies). His parents married in 1892 on the 24^th May 1892 at the Parish Church, Wrexham, John was a 24 year old collier of Beishaw?, father Edward, whilst Elizabeth was aged 20 of 18 Manley Road, no father given. They had at least five children: Edward had older siblings Jane, born in 1892, and William 1894, and younger siblings Elsie 1900 (died at age 1), and Harold, born in 1902.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 6 Clarkes Street, Monks, Coppenhall. Edward is 3 years of age and lives with his parents and three siblings. His father, John, is aged 34, born 1867 in Wem, Salop is a general labourer, whilst his mother, Elizabeth, is aged 29, born 1872 in Wrexham and has no occupation listed. Edward's siblings are recorded as; Jane aged 8, William aged 6 and Elsie aged 1. The children were all born in Wrexham. 

Elsie died later that year, and another son, Harold, was born in 1902.

His mother appears to have died in 1907 at the age of 34.

In 1911 his father and Harold are boarding at 20 Abenbury Street, Wrexham with Stephen and Rhoda Jones and family.  His widowed father, 45, is a farm labourer, Harold is 7 and at school. The other children, Jane, William, and Edward (who would be 13 years old) are not found on the census.  

Edward enlisted in Liverpool on the 04^th November 1914, giving his age as 18 years 112 days, and his occupation as bugler. His given age of 17 years and 112 days is amended to 18 years and 112 days (which would enable him to ship overseas with his battalion in late 1915, as a 19-year old). He was described as being five feet 1½ inches tall, weighed 112lbs, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and his father, John, of 6 Bury Street, Hightown, Wrexham as his next of kin.

His occupation of bugler is a mystery, as he states no previous military service.

From the 23rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03rd 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.

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

Between the 12^th and 16^th February 1916 he  was attached to 202 Field Company Royal Engineers.

He was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01^st July 1916, aged 19.

18^th Battalion Diary

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.

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.”

Edward earned his three medals.

His sister's employer wrote on her behalf on the 07th August 1916 requesting information on the circumstances of Edward's death and location of his grave.

His father John received his Army effects and a War Gratuity of £7.  The pension card in the name of his father at 6 Bury Street, shows "Refusal N.P.D."

As of November 1920 his siblings were recorded as; Jane aged 28, William aged 26 and Harold aged 18.  

On the 1921 census at Bury Street, his father, John, is married to Susannah (nee Williams), who married in 1914, and have a son William with them. 

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