MORLEY, John Herbert
| Service Number: | 2923 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 13 September 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 47th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Mackay, Queensland, Australia , 4 May 1897 |
| Home Town: | Townsville, Townsville, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Townsville Central State School, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Draper |
| Died: | Killed in action, France, 28 March 1918, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, New Farm St Michael & All Angels Anglican Church WWI Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 13 Sep 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2923, 47th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 2923, 47th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Marathon embarkation_ship_number: A74 public_note: '' | |
| 27 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 2923, 47th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Marathon, Brisbane |
Help us honour John Herbert Morley's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Last week advice was received that Private Cecil Morley had been taken prisoner by the Germans, and after escaping had rejoined his unit and been
wounded. On Tuesday the Military authorities advised that his brother, Signaller Jack Morley had been killed in action. Signaller Morley was, prior to his enlistment in Brisbane, in the employ of D. and W. Murray Ltd., a large draper’s business, in Townsville. nf Townsvllle. He had only returned to France a short time since, after recovering from wounds. Both soldiers are brothers of Mr. H. Morley of Hermit Park, Townsville.
John Herbert Morley of Townsville, Queensland, was known to his family and friends as ‘Jack’. He was the son of Harvey and Mary Ann Morley and before the war was in the employ of D. and W. Murray Ltd., a large draper’s business, in Townsville.
Jack enlisted in Brisbane with his brother, Cecil Morley, and they were given consecutive regimental numbers in reinforcements for the 47th Battalion, arriving in England in early 1917.
They joined the 47th Battalion in the front-line during June 1917 and Jack was wounded in the leg on 19 August 1917. He was evacuated to England to recover and returned to the front during early March 1918. The 47th Battalion held off a strong German attack at Dernancourt on 28 March 1918, and Jack Morley was one of the casualties. According to his mates, he was shot by a sniper when looking over a trench parapet, and had to be buried in the front-line trenches.
Jack’s brother, Cecil, was wounded in action at the same place and evacuated to England.
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