WILLIAM REGINALD MORRIS
12 October 1887 - 25 September 1915
At School 1900 - 1903
2nd Lieut 7th East Lancashire Regt
William was born in Moss Side, Manchester, and in 1891 aged 3 was living at 93 Bishop Street, Moss Side, with father William, a Chartered Accountant, mother Sarah, elder sister Edith, maiden aunt Alice and one domestic servant. By 1901, younger brother Frederick had arrived and William was at School. After leaving School, William worked as a clerk in a Shipping Office.
On the outbreak of war William joined the Officer Training Corps and was gazetted temporary 2nd Lieutenant on 7 December 1914. Following this he was posted to the 7th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment. The Battalion had been formed in Preston in September 1914 and was part of the 56th Brigade, 19th Division. In December 1914 the Battalion was in billets in Andover, Hampshire, moving in February 1915 to Clevedon on the Bristol Channel and finally to huts at Perham Down, Salisbury Plain, for the final period of training prior to going to the Front.
The Regiment embarked at Folkestone on 18 July 1915, landing at Boulogne, and proceeded to the St Omer area. On 31 July the Battalion reached their billets in Caudescure, 2 miles north of Merville. The Division was now incorporated into the Indian Corps of the 1st Army and continued their training in the areas behind the Front line. On 10 August the Battalion marched to Vielle Chapelle to receive instruction in the trenches from the Jullunder Brigade of the Lahore Division. The instruction of platoons came to an end on 20 August and the Battalion moved


back to Merville on the 21st. For the rest of the month officers were attached to the Lahore and Meerut Divisions for training in trench warfare and assimilation of the trench and support systems. On 28 August the 19th Division relieved the 7th Division in the line from a point 2,000 yards north of Neuve Chapelle to a point 800 yards north of Givenchy-Les-La-Bassee. The Battalion was in reserve in Locon, providing working parties for repair and strengthening of the trenches. On the night of 13/14 September the Battalion moved to the front line in face of Farm Cour de l'Avoue, which was in No Man's Land but provided cover for enemy snipers. The Battalion suffered shellfire, sniping and machine gun fire, however casualties were thankfully light. On 20 September the Battalion moved its position south in the line to the section from Canadian Orchard down to Barnton Road in order to reduce the front of the 58th Brigade.

The 58th Brigade, the right Brigade of the Division, was directed to co-operate on the left flank of the 2nd Division in the event of that Division making good progress at the commencement of the offensive south of the La Bassee Canal (now known as the Battle of Loos), which was due to start on 25 September. The role of the 56th Brigade was mainly defensive but it was directed to take advantage of any withdrawal of the enemy on its front, and in this event to advance to the village of Salome, some 6 miles east of the line. Bombardment of the enemy lines in preparation for the attack commenced on 21 September and during lulls the enemy retaliated with shells, rifle grenades and trench mortars causing minor casualties. The Battalion war Diary reported:
"5.50 a.m. Our guns opened a very heavy bombardment on the enemy's position and smoke candles were used all along the line. The enemy opened heavy fire on our trenches with mortars and shells. Our casualties were 2Lt Morris and 1 man killed - Capt Hampson, 2Lt Spicer and 15 OR wounded."
William's body was recovered and he was buried in Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg L'Avoue alongside L/Cpl. Fallows
who was also killed that day.
Probate was granted in London on 4 December 1915 to William Frederick Morris. accountant. Effects £472 16s. 7d.