Serjeant 22778 William Henry Morris

He was baptised on 22nd December 1878 in St. Silas, Toxteth Park. His father Samuel was born in about 1845 in Worcestershire, and his mother Ellen in about 1854 in Exeter.  They married in Liverpool in 1877 and had six children. William had younger siblings Phoebe Ann, born in 1879, Ellen 1881 (died age 2), Emma 1882, Emily Ellen 1885 (died in infancy), and Samuel, born in 1887.

 

The 1881 census finds the family living in court housing in Hampton Street in Toxteth Park. His father is a labourer, William is 2, Phoebe 1, and Ellen one month old.  

 

By 1891 they are at 19 Macaulay Street, near Edge Hill Station, with their four children. His father, 46, is a porter at the Walker Art Gallery, and his mother is 37. William is 13, Phoebe 11, Emma 9, and Samuel 4.

 

His father died just before the next census, in February 1901, aged 58, leaving £60 to his widow.

 

In 1901 his widowed mother is living at 21 Ponsonby Street, Toxteth Park, with her four children. William is 22, a hydraulic crane driver.

 

He married Caroline Williams, born in 1879, on 01st June 1903 in St. Chrysostom, Everton. Their son, also William Henry, was born on 11th February 1904 and baptised in St. Peter’s, Liverpool, on 29th February, the parents’ residence given as Afghan Street.

 

In 1911 William and Caroline are living at 3 Stockbridge Street, Everton (off Breckfield Road).  William is 32, a hydraulic crane driver (shipping), Caroline is 31, and son William is 7. They have a boarder, Margaret Ball, 30, working as an ironer. 

 

His mother Ellen, 58, keeps a boarding house at 11 Harvey Street. Living with her are daughter Emma, 28, employed as a bookbinder, and son Samuel, 23, an advertiser, as well as three boarders.

 

William’s daughter Edna was born on 20th November 1913.  

 

He enlisted in Liverpool joining the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 22778 on the 09th Novemner 1914. He gives his age as 36, and his occupation as clerk. He was described as being 5’ 7 and a half inches tall, weighing 167 lbs, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He gave his next of kin as his wife Caroline, at 5 Lynholme Road Anfield.

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.

His service record shows:

09th February 1915 he was appointed paid Lance Corporal.

William arrived in France at I.B.D. on 02nd January 1918, and was posted to the 4th Bn K.L.R. the next day, joining his battalion at St. Jean Camp on 12th January 1918. The 4th Kings were part of 98th Infantry Brigade, 33rd Division. He served in ‘B’ Coy, 5th Platoon.  

 

For the rest of the month the battalion alternated between billets at St. Lawrence Camp at Brandhoek and the front line, then at Boisdinghem for most of February, then at St. Lawrence Camp, in and out of the front line, providing working parties and incurring casualties from shelling and gas.

 

In early April they entrained at Brandhoek for Ligny and marched to Ambrines on the 07th.

 

On 13th April the battalion proceeded to a position north of Meteren, where the battalion was heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 9 p.m. on the 14th the battalion moved forward to a position along the road south of Meteren, with the 5th Scottish Rifles on the right and the Tank Corps on the left. The next 24 hours were fairly quiet. At 5 a.m. on the 16th O.C. C.Coy reported that the Tank Corps had evacuated the position in the front line on his left without letting him know.  Two platoons were at once sent forward to fill the gap but did not succeed in reaching the position before the enemy launched his attack. 

 

At 5:30 a.m. the enemy attacked very heavily without much bombardment and succeeded in penetrating the line through the gap left by the Tank Corps.  B Coy on the right stood fast, and the left of the line was withdrawn and reformed.  It was then discovered that the left front company had practically disappeared.  At 11 a.m. the enemy attacked the right of the battalion line. The attack was repulsed with loss to the enemy.

 

An after action report was submitted by the O.C. 4th Bn.  Details were scarce, owing to the very heavy casualties amongst officers. 

 

Casualties from 15th to 17th April: 20 Officers and 469 O.R.

 

William was declared Missing from 16th April 1918.  

 

His wife contacted the International Red Cross but was notified in a reply dated 03rd July 1918 that they held no information on William. She sent a further enquiry and received the same response on 21st August 1918.

 

His death was later presumed for official purposes to have occurred on or since 16th April 1918. He was aged 39, his death occured during the German Spring offensive.
His body was bot recovered from the Battlefiled or was subsequently lost as his name is now recorded on  the Ploegsteert Memorila at Panel 3.

His son William was 14, and daughter Edna was 4 years old when their father was killed.


In April 1923 his widow wrote to the War Office to request his medals and plaque having only received his scroll. The reply stated that he did not qualify for the 1914 or 1914/15 star as he did not proceed overseas until January 1918.His widow, Caroline subsequently received his two medals and Memorial Plaque. His Army effects went to Caroline and son William. She received a War Gratuity of £23 and was awarded a pension of £1-7s-11d a week from July 1919, increased to £2-8s-7d. 

 

His mother Ellen, at 11 Harvey Street, Smithdown Road, was also awarded a pension of 12/6d a week, later changed to 15/-, then 8/9d.  

 

His mother died in 1936 age 82, still living at 11 Harvey Street.

 

His son William Henry had a son in 1925 who carried on the name. 

 

In 1939 Caroline, 60, was living at 523 East Prescot Road with married daughter Edna Davies, 26, a shop assistant, and grandson William Henry Morris, 14.   

 

His son William served in the Merchant Navy in World War Two.  He died in 1991 aged 87.  His daughter Edna died in 1998.

 

Caroline died 1959 at the age of 80.

 

Sadly, William has not been identified on any memorials.