Ernest Edward Morris

 

Jan 1, 1887

Born at Bournemouth Hampshire England

 

Jun 10, 1915

Attested into the 59th Battalion at Ottawa Ontario

Ø  Number 454595

Ø  Next of kin given as Ethel Linda Morris, wife, Eganville Ontario Post Office

Ø  Previous occupation given as Farmer

Ø  No previous military experience given

Ø  Religion given as Church of England

Ø  Assigned to “D” Company

 

Apr 1, 1916

Embarked the RMS Olympic at Halifax Nova Scotia

 

  

Apr 11, 1916

Disembarked at Liverpool England and the battalion proceeded to the Bordon Camp

 
On arrival he was appointed to the provisional rank of Corporal

 

Jul 6, 1916

The 59th Battalion was absorbed into the 39th Reserve Battalion at West Sandling

 

Aug 27, 1916

Reverted to the rank of Private at his own request in order to be transferred to the front

 
Transferred to the 21st Battalion

 

Aug 28, 1916

Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) at Havre France and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion

 

Sep 12, 1916

After leaving the base depot he joined the 2nd Entrenching Battalion in Albert

 

Sep 16, 1916

After leaving the entrenching battalion, Private Morris joined the 21st Battalion rear details as the battalion was involved in heavy fighting at Courcelette.  He joined the main part of the battalion when they came out of the line.

 

Sep 29, 1916

While proceeding to relieve an outpost on his first day in the front line, he was killed by a sniper near the Courcelette Trench.  There was no record kept of where he was buried and as such, he is honoured on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, Vimy Ridge, France for those killed in France during the war with no known grave

 

  

Following the war the British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny), Scroll and Memorial Cross were sent to his widow, Mrs. Sharrock (she had remarried November 10, 1919), 455 St. John Rd., West Toronto, Ontario

 
A second Memorial Cross was sent to his mother, Mrs. P. Morris, 183 Ashley Rd., Bournemouth East, Hants, England

 

Below is from the January 1937 issue of the Communiqué, the post war newsletter of the 21st Battalion Association.

 

 
His death was also noted in the personal diary of William Cattanach MMwBar

 

Both of these accounts refer to his rank as Corporal, but there is no entry in his file for that promotion


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