Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Paul was born into a strong Catholic family in Adelaide on the 31st August 1906. His parents were Bernard John and Margaret Elizabeth Morrissey who had six children, including an older son, James Michael, and daughters, including Veronica Margaret and Mary. The family lived in King’s Park, Unley to the south of Adelaide, with Bernard (nicknamed ‘Bunny’) being an active member of the West Terrace Branch of St Patrick’s where he undertook a number of position, including president and being involved for over six decades. He was also a key influence in the building of the ‘new’ St Patrick’s church.
Paul worked in retail as a sporting goods salesman, but aged 33 he enlisted at King’s Park to serve soon after the outbreak of WWII, on the 29th June ’40 and was given the number SX7025 in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. His early days were spent not far from home, in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds. During his brief pre-embarkation leave, Paul married May Margaret Webber on the 26th October, having a precious week with his new wife before boarding the Stratheden for the Middle East on the 7th November 1940 and disembarked on the 17th December.
Once in the Middle East, the battalion completed a few months training in Cyrenaica before heading to Tobruk at the start of April 1941 where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to the men who were to become the highly regarded Rats of Tobruk. Unfortunately, Paul contracted pleurisy in June and was hospitalised for a month. The desert conditions also contributed to him developing a severely inflamed and infected tear duct (acute dacryocystitis) which later developed into a boil on his eyelid (a condition that followed him throughout the war). It was not until September that Paul was able to return to the 2/48th.
The following month Paul was wounded in action with gunshot wounds to both his thighs and arm. SX8096 Henry Laughton, also from Kings Park and in the 2/48th was dangerously wounded in the same fierce battle. Montgomery had ordered the 9th Battalion to attack northward in an all-out attack on the strategically positioned Trig 29. Conditions were ever-changing and the fighting continuous. The 2/48th Battalion prepared for the second battle of El Alamein which began on October 23rd. The evening was described by John Glenn in ‘Tobruk to Tarakan’ as ‘an occasional burst from a machine gun disturbed the night of 24th October. Nevertheless, it was a busy time for the tired men. Little or no sleep could be had. A hot meal sent forward after dark was quickly swallowed. There was no time for yarning. Defences had to be improved, more digging and wiring done, and patrols sent out.’ He later added that ‘the 2/48th had stirred up a real hornets’ nest.’ On that night alone 9 of the Battalion were killed and 20 wounded in action. Of these 16 were from South Australia and the remainder from Western Australia.
Glenn explains they were ‘running into particularly stiff opposition to the west of the Trig point. It was only after hard fighting, with heavy casualties on both sides, that they were able to consolidate on their objective. Gradually the platoon, small in number to start with, was being whittled away and those remaining were being forced to go to ground.’ Many years later, in November 2019, in an interview with Harry Lock, the ‘Murray Pioneer’ reported that ‘On the night of October 25 – 26, 7 Platoon was ordered to eliminate a German strong post and suffered heavy casualties, leaving only seven men in the platoon. ‘
Glenn also included an extract from the diary of fellow 2/48th soldier, Jack Ralla SX13013 which described the camaraderie of the Battalion in caring for their fellow soldiers and ensuring they were taken back to get medical help. The November issue of the Chronicle announced in November an extensive list of well over thirty men from the 2/48th who were killed or wounded with Paul. It was not until the end of December that he was able to re-join his battalion, then two months later on the 1st February ’43 leave the Middle East to return home via Melbourne.
His injuries resulted in Paul ‘carrying out certain duties which required only restricted medical fitness’ resulting in him being transferred to Canteen Services. Soon after, Paul’s 68-year-old mother, Margaret died at home on the 12th November ’43.
The following year Paul was promoted to Corporal in December ’44 preceding his discharge in September ‘45 caused by his physical injuries, ongoing inflammation of his eyelids from his early months in the Middle East and also an ongoing high temperature.
Paul and May welcomed the arrival of their son, born at Calvary Hospital in January ’48.
Aged 73, Paul died on the 12th December ’79 and was buried in the Catholic section of Centennial Park Cemetery in Row F, Path 16 Grave 1243 with his wife May also resting with him. She died aged 75.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.