Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Ballarat & District in the Great War

Driver Robert Henry Morgan,
4th Field Artillery Brigade
 
‘…A very large funeral on Sunday moved from Cambrian Hill towards the Buninyong Cemetery. The procession of vehicles and horsemen was half a mile long. The deceased was the wife of Mr George Morgan, butcher, of Napoleons, who died after but a few days' illness. The lady was much respected by everyone in the district, and was only twenty-two years of age…’

The sad death of Jane Paterson, the first wife of George Morgan, was to have far-reaching effects. She had died on 2 July 1874, just weeks after giving birth to a baby girl. The young father, who was a butcher and storekeeper at Napoleons, was thus left with three small daughters to raise on his own.

Necessity was perhaps a significant reason behind George Morgan remarrying in a relatively short time. His second wife, Louisa Maria Robinson, was the daughter of another pioneering family of the district. They were married on 1 February 1875 at The Woodlands Hotel, which was then owned by Louisa’s father, William Robinson.

Taking on the task of raising three small children required considerable strength, not to mention capability and a distinct degree of kindness. It seems that Louisa was more than suited to the role. And she soon added to the family with children of her own. The family eventually grew to a staggering sixteen children, including their fourth son, Robert Henry, who was born at Napoleons in 1883. (His birth was actually recorded as Robert George, but was apparently informally changed at a later date).

For young Bob, growing up at Napoleons was an easy beginning to life. The family lived at Grandview, on the Ballarat-Colac Road, one of the most substantial houses in the area. Constructed of solid bluestone, the home offered large airy rooms for the growing family. And, as implied by the name, the view was indeed grand – with an unobstructed view looking out towards Mount Buninyong. The surrounding farm was even more significant. When George Morgan struggled to find supplies of herbs to season the small goods in his butcher shop, he decided to establish his own supply. His herb farm would grow to be one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.

They family also enjoyed music and Bob’s young sister, Fanny, became a proficient organist known for her solos at the local Congregational Church. The youngest of the children, Norman, was also a capable singer in his early years.

It was only a very short walk from Grandview, near the road to Scotchman’s Lead, to the local State School, where Bob received his basic education. The original school had opened in 1870 and was still a relatively new building when Bob began there in the late 1880’s. He enjoyed a close relationship with his Robinson cousins, who also attended the school.

Several of the Morgan boys, including Bob, learned their trade as butchers working with their father in the Napoleons shop. Bob was ideally suited to serving their many customers: he was known to have a bright and cheery disposition that made him a great favourite in the community.

The dramatic and inexplicable death of Bob’s older brother, James, on 5 February 1912, was a shock for the entire Morgan family. James, who had been working as a butcher in Buninyong, was said to have died as the result of drinking an iced drink followed by some fruit.

Shortly after the first anniversary of the beginning of the Great War, Bob Morgan decided it was time to “do his bit.” Herbert Victor Morgan, known to the family as Bert, had been the first to enlist. He joined the AIF at Ballarat on 23 December 1914. Bob was in Swan Hill when he presented himself as a volunteer on 14 August 1915. Captain Summons of the Australian Army Medical Corps was charged with conducting the medical examinations of those men enlisting at Swan Hill. As could be seen by his physicality, Bob would not have passed the stringent early AIF requirements: he was just 5-feet 3-inches tall and was a slight 8½-stone. His expanded chest measurement of 35-inches gave him a slight edge.

Completing his description, Bob had a ruddy complexion with brown eyes and dark hair. There was also evidence of childhood vaccination and several minor injuries, with scars on his upper lip, forehead and left buttock. He asked that Methodist be recorded as his religious affiliation.

Despite being passed fit, Bob was required to undergo re-examination in Melbourne on 17 August. He then immediately joined a depot battalion to begin his first experience of military training.

Initially, Bob was assigned to the 4th Field Artillery Brigade Ammunition Column with the regimental number of 6917 and the rank of driver. He organized for his father to be acknowledged as his legal next-of-kin and it was to George Morgan that all correspondence would subsequently be sent.

After just three months in camp, the Ammunition Column was ready for the Front. Bob sailed from Melbourne on 18 November onboard HMAT Wiltshire. By the time they reached Port Suez on 15 December, the Gallipoli Campaign had ended and most of the AIF had been successfully withdrawn from ANZAC.

Training continued in Egypt as the brigade joined the 2nd Division. Another three months passed before Bob and his mates made the voyage from Alexandria to Marseilles. They landed in France on 19 March and immediately entrained for Le Havre in the north. Bob reached Armentieres on 8 April, where the unit settled into this relatively quiet sector with their 18-pounder guns. He was then transferred to the Brigade Headquarters on 10 May.

But it was at Pozieres in late July that Bob was to experience the true intensity of the Western Front. His unit was positioned about 50-miles south of the main thoroughfare into Pozieres, Sausage Valley. There they kept up a steady tit-for-tat firing competition with the German artillery through the entire six-week campaign.

After a brief respite outside Ypres, the unit returned to the Somme and a bitter winter outside Flers.
The following year was a busy one for the unit as they provided artillery support at Bullecourt, Messines and then into the bite-and-hold battles leading to Passchendaele.

Back in Napoleons, George Morgan showed that he was aware of the growing need to support repatriated soldiers. Not only did he contribute £300 to the War Loan Fund, he offered his herb farm to the government for ‘repatriation purposes’ for returned soldiers. If they accepted his offer, George was also prepared to loan the repatriation committee a further £2,000. It is not known if the Repatriation Department acted on the proposal.

It appears that Bob Morgan’s skills with food were soon to prove more useful to the brigade than firing a gun. He was sent to Cookery School on 10 October and spent five days extending his skills.

The brigade cookhouse became Bob’s main place of operation as the war took on a more mobile aspect and 1918 saw a change in Allied fortunes.

On 20 September, the cookhouse had been positioned at Templeux-le-Guérard as the AIF pushed the German Army back towards the Hindenburg Line. According to Sapper Ernest Marsh, the German artillery put over a salvo of three shells. He described Bob Morgan as ‘a bit of a daredevil,’ and, when the others took cover, Bob stayed in the cookhouse. All it took was one splinter of shell – it hit Bob in the head and he died ‘very soon after.’ Marsh said his body was taken down to the wagon lines for burial.

Word of Bob Morgan’s death reached Napoleons on 3 October and general regret was expressed throughout the district as the news began to circulate. George and Louisa Morgan were considered amongst the best known and most highly respected of Napoleons residents, so the grief felt on their behalf was most sincere.

The usual epitaphs were expressed, mentioning Bob’s ‘sterling character’ and ‘his many excellent qualities.’ As a mark of respect, the flag at the Napoleons State School was immediately lowered to half-mast. It was a double tragedy for the extended family – Bob’s cousin, Robert Robinson had been killed in action earlier in the year on 18 May.

It was a sad coincidence that the unveiling of the Roll of Honour at the Napoleons State School had been set for the 12 October. Although Napoleons had never been a large community, the school had contributed a 42 young men to the cause. Twelve former students had died, which equated to over 25% of those who had enlisted. It proved to be a very sombre scene…
In due course, letters began to arrive at Grandview, all offering heartfelt condolences to the grieving Morgan family. Several came from men who had served alongside Bob on the Western Front.

Englishman, Staff-Sergeant Charles Gilbert Potts, had first met Bob in camp before the Ammunition Column had left Australian; the pair had become fast friends.
‘…It is with a very sad heart indeed that I sit down to pen these few lines. Yesterday the war robbed me of another of my best friends. Poor Bob was killed instantly. The shell landed about thirty yards away, and a piece went through the cook-house, and caught Bob in the head. It was strange that my comrade and self were standing watching Fritz shell the gully (after he had chased us out) never thinking for a moment that the head-quarter's stall was situated there…’
Potts continued on by expressing his deepest sympathy to George and Louisa Morgan, and assuring them that he had been to make enquiries as to where Bob’s body was to be buried. Knowing how important photographs of the graves were to families, Potts promised to try and send them an image. He had also gathered up several souvenirs that Bob collected during his time away and made sure they were sent back to Australia.

Adjutant of the 4th Field Artillery Brigade, Captain Daniel A. Fowler, was at pains to assure the grieving parents that Bob’s death was ‘a merciful one’ for he was sure ‘he felt no pain, or ever even knew he had been hit.’ Fowler added that Bob’s ‘genial disposition and always cheerful bearing would he very much missed from amongst the men. He was always a brave soldier and cheerful under the most trying circumstances. The CO, officers and men of the brigade headquarters send their sincerest sympathy in your great loss. I also hope that you will be comforted by the fact that he died a soldier's, death tor his country, and what greater sacrifice can anyone make…’

A third letter arrived from Church of England Chaplain Arthur W. Tonge, who wrote two days after Bob Morgan’s death. His words were designed to comfort Bob’s parents with the knowledge that he had buried their son, the brigade having been responsible for preparing the grave. He assured them that the grave would be cared for by the French people after the war. He spoke in ‘glowing words of his good qualities’ and concluded that Bob would be ‘greatly missed among his comrades, but I hope the family will find comfort in the belief that he has attained a sure and certain reward beyond all earthly cares and trials…’

Whether it was the chaplain’s handwriting or the indecipherable French names, with place-names being utterly butchered in interpretation – Templeux became Tehdieux, Peronne to Weronne and Roisel turned into Woisol. No amount of searching available maps would ever have revealed where Bob Morgan died or where he had been buried using these names.

In May 1919, Bert Morgan returned safely home to Napoleons. He had served at Gallipoli with the 14th Infantry Battalion and was wounded by shrapnel in the arms at Lone Pine in August 1915. With the 46th Battalion on the Western Front, Bert was wounded for a second time in July 1918, but remained on duty.

Two formal Welcome Home and presentation evenings were later held at the Napoleons School Hall. Engraved gold medals were presented to the returned men, whilst elaborate framed certificates were received by family members of those who fell on the battlefield. The second of these events was held on 10 October 1919, and was attended by a large proportion of the community.

Bert Morgan received the certificate of his brother on behalf of their parents.

‘…The certificates are certainly works of art, being framed and embossed in oak with symbolic figures, representing “Victory” and ‘‘Grief” inlaid in the picture. A miniature portrait of the fallen soldier is also affixed in each certificate…’

It was to be expected that all the recipients ‘were visibly affected when receiving the sad but beautiful pictures.’

Locals and people from Sebastopol and Ballarat provided ample entertainment that evening. A special performance of the sentimental song “Where the Milestones End,” was given by Bob’s sister, Fanny. The meaning was felt by everyone present.
‘Long is the road, the world is cold and drear,
Sad is my heart, for you no more are near;
Dark are the hours, but I must journey on
Till that glad time when troubles all are gone.
Where the milestones end – it’s home;
Where the shadows end – it’s day;
When the tears depart there’s a waiting heart
I shall find in the far away!
Where the darkness ends – there’s joy,
Though it’s far I have to roam
Every hour that’s through brings me nearer you
Where the milestones end – it’s home!
Deep in the night I ever hear you call;
Words full of love and comfort sweetly fall,
Telling my heart, though life seems now in vain,
This road of tears leads back to home again!’
As a feature of the large supper there was a ‘soldier’s cake of unique design, decorated in the latest style.’ Bert Morgan was called on to do the honours of cutting the cake.

In due course, Bob’s personal effects were returned home. As always, these items were much cherished by the family, but they also revealed a great deal about their former owner. There were the usual letters, photos, keys, coins and pieces of clothing, including a cap comforter (which Bob wore underneath his steel helmet) and a pair of socks. They also received Bob’s wallet, wrist watch (which was damaged), a purse, a pair of metal sleeve links, a metal ring, a note book and a nail file. He had souvenired an Iron Cross ribbon, which was included in the package. Perhaps the most important and poignant items were Bob’s diary and the identity discs that he had been wearing when he was killed.

Bob had completed his paybook Will on 23 July 1917, “Somewhere in France.” He left two special bequests of £5 each to two young women he had met in Swan Hill – Clara Margaret Derham and Adelaide Victoria Millicent “Addie” Marks. Clara Derham had suffered the loss of her 19-year-old brother, Andrew, who was killed at Pozieres. The remainder of his property, Bob left to his mother.

As Staff-Sergeant Potts promised, the souvenirs that Bob Morgan had collected were duly received by his family at Napoleons. Contained in the package were two gas masks, one British and one German, and an ash tray made by Sergeant Potts from the base of an 18-pounder shell. The final article was the most significant – it was an oak walking-stick made from a part of the organ at St Martin’s Cathedral in Ypres, which had been utterly destroyed by the German artillery. His family arranged for them to be exhibited at the Napoleons State School on a day in August 1920.

In April 1925, George Morgan was contacted by Base Records to be informed that the establishment of the Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension had resulted in the exhumation of Australian graves in the Communal Cemetery itself. As a result, Bob’s remains were re-interred in the new extension.

Sadly, not everyone had their photograph taken in uniform. This was the case for George and Louisa Morgan. A photographic artist was employed by the family to print a photo of Bob’s face and add a hand-drawn uniform to provide them with an image of their soldier son.