MORRIS, Thomas
| Service Number: | 5644 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 23rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Garsington, Oxfordshire, England , 1877 |
| Home Town: | Surrey Hills, Boroondara, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Wounds, Severals House Hospital, Newmarket, Suffolk, England, 26 October 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Newmarket Cemetery, Suffolk, England Grave E. 937. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Aug 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 23rd Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 5644, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 5644, 23rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Melbourne | |
| 25 Sep 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 23rd Infantry Battalion | |
| 26 Oct 1917: | Involvement Corporal, 5644, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5644 awm_unit: 23 Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-10-26 |
Help us honour Thomas Morris's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was 39/40 and the husband of Jane Morris, of High St., Westcott Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom.
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Thomas Richard Morris was born at Garsington, Oxfordshire, England in 1877 to parents Albert & Elizabeth Morris (nee Wakenell). He was baptised on 25th March, 1877.
Albert Morris, father of Thomas Morris, died in 1896.
Thomas Morris enlisted with the Oxfordshire Light Infantry in 1894. His regimental number was 4709.
He married Jane Saunders. Their marriage was registered in the district of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire in the March quarter, 1903.
On 28th April, 1916 Thomas Morris enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) as a 38 year old, married, Labourer from Arthur Street, Surrey Hills, Victoria.
Private Thomas Morris, Service number 5644, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Shropshire (A9) on 25th September, 1916 with the 6th Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Battalion, 15th Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 11th November, 1916.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He proceeded overseas to France on 13th December, 1916 on Princess Henrietta from 6th Training Battalion. Private Morris was marched in to 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot at Etaples, France in 14th December, 1916. He was marched out to join his Unit on 17th December, 1916 & was taken on strength with 23rd Battalion in France on 18th December, 1916.
On 15th February, 1917 Private Morris reported sick. He was admitted to 6th Australian Field Ambulance with a Hernia on 15th February, 1917 then transferred to 45th Casualty Clearing Station on 15th February, 1917. Private Morris was transferred to No. 11 Ambulance Train on 18th February, 1917 & admitted to 20th General Hospital at Camiers on 19th February, 1917 with a Hernia. Private Morris was invalided to England on 27th February, 1917 from Havre on Hospital Ship Warilda.
A report was completed on Private Thomas Morris & it was stated that Private Morris’s Hernia was due to being accidentally injured on 15th February, 1917 in the Field when carrying Timber & that the soldier was not to blame for the injury.
Private Morris was admitted to 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, London, England on 28th February, 1917 with a Hernia. He was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 18th April, 1917 & discharged to furlo on 30th April, 1917 & was then to report to Training Depot at Perham Downs.
He was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs, Wiltshire on 16th May, 1917 from furlo & classified as B1 A2 (Fit for Overseas Training Camp in three to four weeks).
On 12th July, 1917 Private Morris proceeded overseas to France from Overseas Training Depot & was marched in to 2nd A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Havre, France on 13th July, 1917. He was marched out to his Unit on 30th July, 1917 & rejoined his Unit from Hospital on 31st July, 1917.
He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 10th August, 1917
Lance Corporal Thomas Morris was to be Corporal (Temporary) from 25th September, 1917 vice Smith promoted.
Corporal Thomas Morris wounded in action on 8th October, 1917. His rank reverted back to Lance Corporal on being admitted to Hospital. Lance Corporal Morris was admitted to 3rd Field Ambulance on 8th October, 1917 then transferred to Casualty Clearing Station. He was transferred to No. 21 Ambulance Train with shrapnel wounds to back then admitted to 57th General Hospital. Lance Corporal Morris embarked for England on Hospital Ship St. Andrew on 13th October, 1917.
On 13th October, 1917 Corporal Morris was admitted to Suffolk Hospital, Ampton, Bury St. Edmunds with gunshot wounds to back.
Lance Corporal Thomas Morris died at 10.20 am on 26th October, 1917 at Severals House Hospital, Newmarket, Suffolk, England from wounds received in action – gunshot wound to back & pneumonia.
He was buried in Newmarket Cemetery, Newmarket, Suffolk, England.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/newmarket.html
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