Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Colin was born in Broken Hill on the 5th December 1923 to William Michael, known as ‘Darkie’, and Myrtle Morgan, who also was Broken Hill born. Colin was the oldest of three sons, Kevin and Max and had two sisters, Essel and Madge. His life was to be closely linked to another boy born earlier the same year – Ronald Matthews with the two forging close, life-long bonds as friends. Both were ‘generous’ with their date of birth when they enlisted to serve in WWII, suggesting they were born in 1920 and therefore older by three years.
Ron had enlisted in June ’40, supposedly aged 19 years. He was allocated the number SX8446 in the 2/48th Battalion. The following year The Barrier Miner announced in April that ‘Two more local men are leaving for service with the A.I.F. on Monday's train to Adelaide; They are Colin William Morgan and James McLennan’. Transport by rail to Adelaide was provided free for the recruits. In a generous gesture the local branch of the Returned Soldiers' League provided the enlistees with free breakfast at the Riverton Railway refreshment rooms. Colin, working as a labourer, officially enlisted on the 3rd September, claiming to be 20 years old. (His war record was later corrected, indicating his year of birth as 1923.) He was given the number SX14337.
Colin’s training was at Woodside in the Adelaide Hills where he officially transferred into the 2/48th Battalion before having brief pre-embarkation leave. Unfortunately, he took an extra day’s leave, earning two days being confined to barracks and the loss of 5/- pay. He was soon sailing for the Middle East, arriving on the 24th November ’41, after the Siege of Tobruk. One of his first tasks was to contact Ron.
After garrison duties in Syria, the 2/48th returned to the Western Desert in mid1942. The battalion took part in fighting in the El Alamein sector, at Tel el Eisa in July 1942. Both Colin and Ron were wounded in action in the main Battle of El Alamein at the end of October. The 2/48th captured and held the tactically important hill, Trig 29. During this action, Colin was wounded with a gunshot wound to his left hand and Ron was wounded in his thigh. On the 25th October during the conflict at El Alamein, the 2/48th Battalion moved forward as the artillery opened up with a terrific barrage. Unfortunately, during the encounter, John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan described how Jack Marshall ‘ran up against a trip wire, sending up a flare which lit the area like day. This brought down heavy German fire, and Shepard was wounded in the arm. Just as his wound was being dressed, a mortar exploded at his feet and he was again wounded as were McEvoy, Matthews and C.W Morgan.’ Colin and Ron were both transferred to hospital. Colin was able to return to his battalion in mid-December, later serving as an ambulance driver.
Back home, the Barrier Miner on the 16th November ’42 reported the unwanted news. ‘Thirteen South Australians are reported killed in action or died of wounds in the latest Army casualty list. Sixty-two are wounded and 145 previously reported missing, are now believed to be prisoners of war.’ In the list appears the names of. SX6900 Pte. John Huxtable, SX11122 Pte. Laurence McEvoy, SX14337 Pte. Colin W. Morgan and Pte. Ronald R. Matthews, all of Broken Hill, wounded in action.
The 2/48th Battalion returned to Australia via Melbourne in February ’43. Colin’s father, William was in poor health. Seemingly showing little compassion, Colin was officially deemed to be AWOL for a week at the end of March and was fined £3. Just a fortnight later, on the 19th April, his 53-year-old father died in the Broken Hill hospital.
Colin began training in the tropical conditions of Queensland, designed to prepare the troops for the humidity of New Guinea where they would face a very different enemy. Arriving in Milne Bay in August ’43 Colin served for 6 months before returning to Brisbane with Malaria and being hospitalised. Malaria continued to return as did an extremely high temperature labelled Pyrexia of Unknown Origin and severe skin conditions which eventually resulting in a return to South Australia. Colin’s frustration was evident with two charges of being AWL in February and July and the associated loss of pay. By ’45 Colin’s frustrations were evident in his breaking out of barracks in January and again in July and the inevitable punishment of being confined to barracks, plus being fined.
Colin was eventually discharged on the 26th November ’45. Eight months later his 52-year-old mother, Myrtle died in Adelaide on the 16th July ’46.
In September that year, Colin married Lorna Jacqueline Smith of Bowden. The News carried a full report of the wedding on the 5th September. ‘Morgan—Smith. Wearing figured blue satin gowns, Misses Joan Smith and Lorna Staker will attend Miss Lorna Smith, of Bowden, when she marries Mr. Colin Morgan, formerly A.I.F., on Saturday night in Hindmarsh Church of Christ. The bride has chosen off-white satin and her veil will fall from a halo of orange blossom. She will carry a bouquet of tuberoses, carnations, and sweet peas.’ The two welcomed their first child, Barbara on June ’47 and later, Brian, Denise and Sonya.
Colin, working as a welder, was involved in a bizarre and quite unsettling accident in March ’53 when a highly distressed, angry man ran into the path of his motorcycle on the Main North Road, suffering severe head injuries. Colin was fortunate to escape with lacerations to his face and head but the man later died in the Royal Adelaide.
Colin and Ron were regular marchers at the annual Anzac Day Parade, remembering and honouring those with whom they served. By evening, the two marchers having celebrated well, found the friendly shoulder of their mate useful for balance!
Aged 87, Colin died on the 18th April, 2010 and was buried in the Enfield Memorial Park V.F. Roberts Memorial Rose Garden lawn in plot S123. His service is also commemorated in the Garden of Remembrance at Centennial Park Cemetery. Lorna lived to be 88 and died on the 19th January 2016. She now rests with Colin.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion