MORTON, Howard Francis
| Service Numbers: | 182, 4108 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 December 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Tunnelling Company (inc. 5th Tunnelling Company) |
| Born: | Burra, South Australia, 24 March 1883 |
| Home Town: | Burra (SA), Goyder, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Station Hand |
| Died: | Port Augusta West, South Australia, 2 July 1951, aged 68 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Port Augusta Carlton Parade Cemetery UL Section Block 116, Grave 17 |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 182, 8th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse |
|---|
World War 1 Service
| 16 Dec 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 4108, 2nd Tunnelling Company (inc. 5th Tunnelling Company) | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 May 1916: | Embarked Sapper, 4108, 2nd Tunnelling Company (inc. 5th Tunnelling Company), HMAT Warilda, Melbourne | |
| 25 May 1916: | Embarked Sapper, 4108, 1st Tunnelling Company (inc. 4th Tunnelling Company), HMAT Warilda, Melbourne | |
| 25 May 1916: | Involvement Sapper, 4108, 2nd Tunnelling Company (inc. 5th Tunnelling Company), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Warilda embarkation_ship_number: A69 public_note: '' | |
| 25 May 1916: | Involvement Sapper, 4108, 1st Tunnelling Company (inc. 4th Tunnelling Company), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Warilda embarkation_ship_number: A69 public_note: '' | |
| 7 Jul 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, 4108, 2nd Tunnelling Company (inc. 5th Tunnelling Company) | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 4108 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
Howard Francis MORTON was born at Burra on 24.03.1883 to Robin (Robert) (1850-13.03.1886) and Maria Dunwill PADDICK (1851-1923).
Howard Francis MORTON originally enlisted at Burra in the Eighth Australian Commonwealth Horse, South Australian Contingent (B Squadron, Walleroo) for service in the Boer War on 21.04.1902. He was allocated service number 182. The 8th contingent set sail for South Africa on 26.05.1902 aboard the ss Andrew however the South African peace treaty was signed whilst the contingent was still en-route at sea. (31.05.1902) The contingent arrived in South Africa and after 5 days in South Africa, they re-embarked aboard the ss Manchester Merchant and returned to Australia arriving back at Largs Bay on 26.07.1902. No SA Campaign medals would have been awarded to men of the 8th Contingent.
Howard Francis Morton again joined the AIF on 06.12.1915 as a sapper at the age of 32 and was allocated service no. 4108. Due to his mining background, he was assigned to the 3rd Military District, No. 5 Tunnelling Co. He embarked for overseas service on 25.05.1916. He was later appointed to the 2nd Tunnelling Co.
He was reported missing on 10.07.1917 at Nieuport, France. He was confirmed a POW having being captured in Dendermonde, Belgium on 22.07.1917 and interned at Limburg, Germany. An eyewitness to his capture was Sapper. Mervyn CARSTENS 3908 who made a statement who that affect which is on his military file.
History: 2nd Tunnelling Bn. Messines 1916/17
As part of the preparations for the Battle of Messines in June 1917, the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company began work on deep dugouts in the Ypres Salient. The Battle of Messines was a prelude to the much larger Third Battle of Ypres (31 July – 10 November 1917). The underground building activities of the Royal Engineer units consisted of a series of deep mines dug by the British 171st, 175th, 250th, 1st Canadian, 3rd Canadian and 1st Australian Tunnelling companies to be fired at the start of the Battle of Messines (7–14 June 1917), while the British 183rd, 2nd Canadian and 2nd Australian Tunnelling companies built underground shelters in the Second Armyarea.[9] The mines at Messines were detonated on 7 June 1917, creating 19 large craters.[1]
Belgian coast[edit]
In the coastal sector at Nieuport/Nieuwpoort, the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company was involved in repelling a German spoiling attack – Operation Strandfest – in July 1917.[1] The British 256th and 257th Tunnelling Companies were also involved.[1] Afterwards the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company constructed deep dugouts in the sand dunes of Nieuport Bains to assist 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Divisional Engineers in strengthening the defences.[10] By 14 November 1917, the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company was still engaged in the Nieuport Bains/Nieuwpoort-Bad sector.[11]
The above is where Pte MORTON was captured.
He was repatriated and returned to London on 30.12.1918 embarking to return to Australia on 31.03.1919 arriving in Adelaide on 09.05.1919.
He was discharged from the AIF on 07.07.1919. He was deemed fit and there is no record of a military pension being granted.
Howard MORTON died at Port Augusta West on 02.07.1951 aged 68 years and was buried in the Port Augusta Cemetery.
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