Gunner W. G. Morris K.I.A. in Scotland ??

Sorry Surname in title is incorrect, unable to edit should read Gunner W.G. Morris.
As part of my retirement project into Military Headstones of Pembrokeshire currently some over 3,000 references/jpegs covering 1722 to 2006 I am hoping someone can assist me with background information on 94 Bty., 108 H.A.A. Regt.
Gnr Willie M. Morris was a member of this battery who was seriously wounded in action on the 21st January 1942 and died of his wounds the following day.
He was the 1st gentleman from the village to die in W.W. 2 and is buried at Fair Isle Cemetery Dunrossness Shetland.
I would like to find out what action was taking place on the 21st Jan on the island for Willie to have been killed in action.
Rgds
Orielbenfro
ORIEL a welsh window on a surname

 

Interesting but always sad , the possibilities of Injury working an Artillery piece or searchlight In daylight it would be bad enough and the slightest mistake in drill would catch out the unwary , sudden recoil unstable ammo , falling shrapnell, even worse in darkness , as in pitch black . There was no health and safety in those days , no Drill instructor to press the stop button , and your hearing had gone after the first shot making it hard to hear an aproaching vehicle coming from behind , the traps were endless , and must have caught out many servicemen , plus the chance of being shot up by counter fire from enemy aircraft .
It would interesting to read the casualty report if there was one

 

There's this article about the Fair Isle anti aircraft defences, see approx halfway down.....
Aviation Research Group Orkney Shetland - Fair Isle Air Defence

Name: SMITH, MARGARET. Age: 10. Date of Death: 21/01/1942
Additional information: Daughter of William Smith, of South Lighthouse, Fair Isle, and of Margaret Helen Smith. Died at South Lighthouse, Fair Isle.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead. Reporting Authority: ZETLAND COUNTY, SCOTLAND

Name: SMITH, MARGARET HELEN. Age: 50. Date of Death: 21/01/1942
Additional information: Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Groat, of Hools, Widewall, Ronaldshay, Orkney; wife of William Smith, of South Lighthouse, Fair Isle. Died at South Lighthouse, Fair Isle.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead. Reporting Authority: ZETLAND COUNTY, SCOTLAND

The wife of the assistant lighthouse keeper was also killed a few weeks earlier.
Name: SUTHERLAND, CATHERINE. Age: 22. Date of Death: 08/12/1941
Additional information: Daughter of John Strachan, of Bankview, Bressay, Lerwick, and of the late J. Strachan; wife of Archibald Sutherland, of South Lighthouse, Fair Isle. Died at South Lighthouse, Fair Isle.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead. Reporting Authority: ZETLAND COUNTY, SCOTLAND

An hitherto unknown (to me) aspect of the War and the high price paid by those protecting shipping, without weapons... Thanks for raising this topic.

 

Oriel

Copy of the war diary page as promised. It gives you the exact details you were after.

Cheers - Rob.

 

Hello,

I am also researching this incident. Do you still have a copy of the war diary for this or able to advise the file number for the national archives

Regards

Midge

 

Death details on the official register available via Scotlandspeople website. The Service Return record will likely give you no more details than that at CWGC, but the Fair Isle one will describe cause of death, hopefully next of kin and possibly previous residence.

 

Many thanks, I will download that,

I am currently researching german aerial activity around the north of scotland. There was a lot of activity around fair isle at this time so keen to see war diary entries of the anti-aircraft unit based there.

Regards

Midge