Robert George Morris

A Lance Corporal with 1st Bn., Robert died on 25th of May 1915 at the age of 19. 

Robert was born at Laxfield, Suffolk, on 14 October 1895, a son of Charles and Alice Morris. He was baptised at All Saints’ Church, Laxfield, on 26 April 1896. In 1901 his family lived at High Street, Laxfield. By 1911 they were living at 1 Love Road, Lowestoft, and Robert was a stockbroker’s clerk. Later his family lived at 79 Sussex Road, Lowestoft, and afterwards at 27 Culver Road, Wokingham Road, Reading Berkshire. 

Robert volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft in October 1914. He joined the Suffolk Regiment. He was posted to the 1st Battalion and arrived in France on 9 May 1915 to join the Battalion and he served with B Company. 

Colonel Murphy’s ‘The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927’ has the following account of the 1st Battalion’s attack endeavours on 24 and 25 May 1915, pages 78-79:

On 24 May the Battalion fell in and moved towards Ypres. As the main bridge over the canal into Ypres was being heavily shelled 2nd Lieutenant Kemp guided the battalion to a small pontoon bridge which he knew to be intact. After negotiating the bridge successfully, the battalion set of across country at a smart pace and, skirting the pond at Zillebeke, reached Witte Poort Farm at about 5 o’clock in the evening, having sustained a few casualties on the way from artillery fire directed from an observation balloon.

In front of the farm ran a sunken road, with a deep ditch bordered by a hedge on the far side; beyond lay a field with a fringe of wood at its lower end in which the Germans were entrenched, their position being only about a hundred yards away. Two companies formed the firing line, with the others following, trickled across the road, the Germans holding their fire as they did so. The battalion, crouching in the ditch with bayonets fixed, now received from Major Maycock the order to charge. Captain Rushbrooke, on the right began pushing his way through the hedge, all the others following suit. Instantly the Germans poured in a most deadly fire, which so thinned the line that the objective was never reached. The order was then given to retire and reform. 

Shortly afterwards their brigade was ordered to launch another attack: Bellewarde Farm was to be taken at all costs, so at midnight the battalion again moved up to the west side of Witte Port Farm, but not in touch with either of its flank units. The attack was to be launched on a front of about four hundred yards. Two companies were put in the firing line on the extreme right, the other two being in support. Again the order was given to charge, and the battalion led by Major Maycock began to advance, but immediately came under a withering fire as on the previous occasion. Men fell in heaps everywhere, and within a few minutes the advance was definitely held up. The attack as a whole failed. One small point, on the sunken road, was held all day. Heavy shelling also took place on the 25th and during the day two officers and some stragglers returned to battalion headquarters. The battalion now numbered three officers and 181 other ranks.

The battalion’s casualties for 25 May were two officers killed, three wounded, and two missing, and, among the other ranks, three killed, 37 wounded, and 91 missing.   

Robert was reported missing on 25 May. Enquiries about Robert, made through the Red Cross, continued until 1916. It was concluded that he had been killed in action on 25 May. 

Robert’s brother, John, was killed in action in 1916 whilst serving with the 9th Battalion Suffolk Regiment.