John Henry Morris

A Private with 9th Bn., John died on 13th of September 1916 at the age of 23. 

John was born at Dedham, Essex, on 1892, a son of Charles and Alice Morris. He was baptised at Dedham on 4 September 1892. In 1901 his family lived at High Street, Laxfield. By 1911 they were living at 1 Love Road, Lowestoft, and John was a carpenter. Later his family lived at 79 Sussex Road, Lowestoft, and afterwards at 27 Culver Road, Wokingham Road, Reading Berkshire. 

John volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft in 1914. He joined the Suffolk Regiment. He was posted to the 9th Battalion and arrived in France, with the Battalion, on 31 August 1915. 

Colonel Murphy’s ‘The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927’ has the following account of the 9th Battalion’s attack at The Quadrilateral 13 September 1916:

The battalion took part in an attack by the 61st Division on the Quadrilateral., the 71st Brigade being on the left and the 16th on the right. The 9th Battalion attacked with three companies in the front line and one in support, zero being 6.20 a.m. The battalion got through the German out post line quite easily, but on gaining the open ground, which stretched for about four hundred yards to the enemy’s wire, came under a terrific machine-gun fire from the formidable strong point known as the Quadrilateral. Across this bare expanse the men struggled bravely forward. Lieutenant Macdonald with others getting close enough to throw a bomb into the German stronghold before being wounded. No further progress could, however, be made. At 7.30 a.m. another attack, in which A Company participated, was launched; and in the evening a third. Still no entrance could be effected. The battalion therefore, in touch with the units on both flanks, dug itself in on a line about half a mile in front of the jumping off trenches of the morning.  

The Battalion’s casualties were: officers 2 killed and 10 wounded; other ranks 15 killed and 185 wounded. 

John was reported missing. By July 1917 it had been concluded that he had been killed in action. Although some sources seem to suggest he died on 16 September, this was actually the first date after the battle that casualty reports could be compiled, hence the actual date was 13 September. 

John’s body was found at map reference 57c. T.15.c.a.5. and in 1919 he was reburied at Guards Cemetery.

John's brother Robert was killed in action in 1915 whilst serving with the 1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment.