Pte
Arthur Russell Morris
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 27/10/1893 |
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Place of birth: Horetown House, Wexford, Leinster, Ireland, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Bank clerk |
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Religion: Not stated |
Army information
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Country: Canada |
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Force: Canadian Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 51344 |
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Enlistment date: 17/12/1914 |
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Enlistment place: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
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Units: — Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 08/05/1915 |
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Place of death: Bellewaerde Ridge, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 21 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 10 |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Arthur was born in 1893 at Horetown House, County Wexford, Ireland to Joseph Russell Morris and Annie Frances Morris. His father was a well off gentleman farmer. The family rented the estate from Sir William Davis-Goff, JP for County Wexford. In 1911 Joseph decided to get out of farming and put his land up for sale. The family moved to Summerville, a villa they had built in 1913 just outside Wexford town.
In the meanwhile Arthur had moved to Canada. He had been in Canada for over two years when the War broke out. Arthur gave up his job in the bank and enlisted in December, 1914. As a member of the militia, Arthur was exactly what the Canadian Army was looking for. He was taken on by the Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry, the last privately raised regiment in the British Empire. The Patricia’s were assigned to the 27th British Division.
In early April 1915, the Division relieved French troops around Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke, east of Ypres. During the Second Battle of Ypres, German attacks on their left flank, made their positions untenable. On 3 May, they were forced to move into new positions on the Bellewaerde Ridge. With the Germans on their tail, the new trenches were hurriedly thrown up. There was hardly any time to construct a parados or parapet. In early May 1915 the Germans launched a renewed attack on Ypres. The main blow was struck at the Patricia’s positions, near Bellewaerde. If the Germans broke through, the way to Ypres would lie open. From 4 to 8 May, shells rained down on the Patricia’s, but with the help of British reinforcements they maintained their position.
Nevertheless, 110 of the Patricia’s were buried together on the battlefield, close to the place where later a monument was erected in honour of the unit. In the chaotic early days of the war especially, the dead were often buried together in abandoned trenches or in shell holes. Arthur was among the fallen. The 21-year-old was buried at the positions on the Bellewaerde Ridge, along with 109 Patricias, who were all killed between 4 and 9 May 1915. Soon after, the ridge was lost to the Germans.
The remains of the 110 Patricia’s were not identified and Arthur is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
In the meanwhile Arthur had moved to Canada. He had been in Canada for over two years when the War broke out. Arthur gave up his job in the bank and enlisted in December, 1914. As a member of the militia, Arthur was exactly what the Canadian Army was looking for. He was taken on by the Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry, the last privately raised regiment in the British Empire. The Patricia’s were assigned to the 27th British Division.
In early April 1915, the Division relieved French troops around Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke, east of Ypres. During the Second Battle of Ypres, German attacks on their left flank, made their positions untenable. On 3 May, they were forced to move into new positions on the Bellewaerde Ridge. With the Germans on their tail, the new trenches were hurriedly thrown up. There was hardly any time to construct a parados or parapet. In early May 1915 the Germans launched a renewed attack on Ypres. The main blow was struck at the Patricia’s positions, near Bellewaerde. If the Germans broke through, the way to Ypres would lie open. From 4 to 8 May, shells rained down on the Patricia’s, but with the help of British reinforcements they maintained their position.
Nevertheless, 110 of the Patricia’s were buried together on the battlefield, close to the place where later a monument was erected in honour of the unit. In the chaotic early days of the war especially, the dead were often buried together in abandoned trenches or in shell holes. Arthur was among the fallen. The 21-year-old was buried at the positions on the Bellewaerde Ridge, along with 109 Patricias, who were all killed between 4 and 9 May 1915. Soon after, the ridge was lost to the Germans.
The remains of the 110 Patricia’s were not identified and Arthur is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
Sources 8
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"Horetown House” (Wexford, New Ross Standard, 29/012/1901). Sources used |
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"Wexfordian Killed” (Wexford, New Ross Standard, 04/06/1915). Sources used |
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Hodder-Williams R., Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry: 1914-1919. Volume I (Londen: Hodder and Stoughton, 1923) 50-57. Sources used |
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Personnel Records of the First World War (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC) RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 6384 - 32). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War diaries: Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4911, Microfilm reel number: T-10703, File number: 346). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War Graves Registers: Circumstances of Death (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG 150, 1992-93/314; Volume Number: 215). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War Graves Registry: Commonwealth War Graves (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC): RG150, 1992-1993/314, Box 39-244; Box: 97). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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Wexford Great War Dead https://www.wexfordgreatwardead.ie/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1594763 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=90696895-3c6a-4a01-a858-e06349fbae01 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5653648 |
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The Canadian Virtual War Memorial https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/1594763 |