Bring Pte John Morris 10th Parachute Regiment to life with me

Hi,

I'm on a quest, a war quest. I inherited my Nana's house before Christmas. It was in a run down state and worth very little due to my alcoholic uncle leaving it to rack and ruin. He lived downstairs and thankfully had left upstairs untouched. That's where I found the treasure!

My granddad's brother, John had joined the British Army circa 1932 and had written home regularly. These letters and keepsakes had been secreted away in the dressing table, untouched since they had been delivered.

He joined the 1st Battalion West Yorks Regt. and seemingly travelled extensively to Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Iran, India, Palestine, Port Said and Aden. In 1942 he was with the 2nd Battalion West Yorks / 8th Army Sigs? In the Middle East.

He then joined 10 Para training in Kibrit and was shot down on the second drop (we think) at Market Garden on 20th Sept '44. His descent record is on a photo on one of the posts on here actually.

We have just booked to go to Arnhem in a few weeks, such is our quest, but if anyone could help by looking at their old photos or racking their brains or thinking about if they might know anything please contact me. I'd love to know more about his story. His letters are fascinating.

Thanks.

 

have you applied for his service records
Get a copy of military service records - GOV.UK

 

Private MORRIS, JOHN
Service Number 4534684

Died 20/09/1944

Aged 31

10th Bn.
The Parachute Regiment, A.A.C.

Son of Orlando and Margaret Ann Morris, of Askern, Yorkshire.


INSCRIPTION
HE LIVES WITH US IN MEMORY STILL NOT JUST TO-DAY BUT ALWAYS WILL
Casualty
Buried at ARNHEM OOSTERBEEK WAR CEMETERY

Location: Gelderland, Netherlands
Number of casualties: 1525

Cemetery/memorial reference: 15. A. 16.


The 10th Battalion The Parachute Regiment (10 PARA) | ParaData


Private John Morris ( - 1944) - Find A Grave Photos

 

UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
Name: John Morris
Given Initials: J
Rank: Private
Death Date: 20 Sep 1944
Number: 4534684
Birth Place: Wigan
Residence: Doncaster
Regiment at Enlistment: West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own)
Branch at Enlistment: Army Air Corps
Theatre of War: Western Europe Campaign, 1944/45
Regiment at Death: Parachute Regiment (not otherwise specified)
Branch at Death: Army Air Corps


Paula
Do you know anymore about his parents, names etc, he would have been born in 1913

TD

 

His date of death and place of first burial would indicate that he was killed as the remnants of 4th Parachute Brigade attempted to make their way into the defensive perimeter that had been established at Oosterbeek. See my other post about the Book 'Desert Rise, Arnhem Descent' which gives more information about this action.

John

 

UK, Victoria Cross Medals, 1857-2007
Name: Lionel Ernest Queripel
Birth Date: 13 Jul 1920
Birth Place: Winterbourne Monkton, Dorset
Death Date: 19 Sep 1944
Death Place: Arnhem, Holland


Gives Paula a flavour of the time and place
TD

 

As Horsa Passenger says your best option before you go would be to get hold of a copy of Desert Rise Arnhem Descent a book that came out a couple of years ago on the battalion in WW2.......This has great detail on the unit's movements at Arnhem between 18th and 20th September when he died......I understand there are only about 10 copies left of the reprint and it is unlikely to be reprinted again.......

 

On FMP so far: His family in1911 living in 26 Bank St Off Liverpool Road Platt Bridge, Hindley, Lancashire, England. He had a sister Amy 1908. and 1 older Brother, William 1910. Parents Possibly married 1907. Mother died 1925? Father 1951?

 

From a family tree:
Orlando MORRIS
1882–1951
BIRTH 1882 • Augusta Street, West Derby, Liverpool, Lancashire.
DEATH 30 JAN 1951 • 1 King's Road, Askern, Doncaster, West Riding, Yorkshire, England.

(WW1 - no 17931 10th Bn South Lancs Regt - discharged 1915 due to a broken ankle in 1907)



Margaret Ann CORLESS
1885–1925
BIRTH 1885 • Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire
DEATH DEC 1925 • Doncaster, Yorkshire West Riding, England

Amy Morris 1907 - 2004 (From WW1 docs - born 17/10/1907)

William 1909 - ? (From WW1 docs - born 8/7/1909)

Oliver Morris 1911 Jul-Aug-Sep Wigan Lancashire

John Morris 1913 Jul-Aug-Sep Wigan Lancashire (From WW1 docs - born 8/6/1913)



Other Morris children registered born in Wigan Lancs with a Mother whose maiden name was 'Corless' - I do not know which (if any of these) are siblings to John, other than those above, but at a guess I would have assumed that the child named Orlando born 1921 would have been a good possibility.

I will leave time and perhaps others to sort out this conundrum


Henry Morris 1915 Oct-Nov-Dec Wigan Lancashire

Lilian E Morris 1915 Apr-May-Jun Wigan Lancashire

Ernest Morris Jan-Feb-Mar 1916 Wigan Lancashire

Ethel Morris Oct-Nov-Dec 1917 Wigan Lancashire

Joseph Morris Jul-Aug-Sep 1919 Wigan Lancashire

Percy Morris Oct-Nov-Dec 1919 Wigan Lancashire

Margaret Morris Jan-Feb-Mar 1921 Wigan Lancashire

Orlando Morris Jul-Aug-Sep 1921 Wigan Lancashire

Gladys Morris Oct-Nov-Dec 1923 Wigan Lancashire

Lillian Morris Oct-Nov-Dec 1926 Wigan Lancashire


TD

 

'Our' family's births were registered in the sub-district of Ashton:

Lancashire Marriages: 1907
MORRIS Orlando
CORLESS Margaret Ann
St. Thomas, Ashton in Makerfield

Births:
MORRIS Amy CORLESS Ashton Wigan & Leigh 1907
MORRIS William CORLESS Ashton Wigan & Leigh` 1909
MORRIS Oliver CORLESS Hindley Wigan & Leigh 1911
MORRIS John CORLESS Ashton Wigan & Leigh 1913
MORRIS Henry CORLESS Ashton Wigan & Leigh 1915
MORRIS Ethel CORLESS Ashton Wigan & Leigh 1917
MORRIS Percy CORLESS Ashton Wigan & Leigh 1919
MORRIS Orlando CORLESS Ashton Wigan & Leigh 1921


1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION
1 King's Road, Doncaster R.D., Yorkshire (West Riding)
NAME DOB OCCUPATION
Orlando Morris 07 Oct 1882 Unemployed General Labourer (Civil Defence Observer Corps)
Henry Morris 15 Sep 1915 Brickworks General Foreman
Orlando Morris 26 Jun 1921 Hand-made Brick Maker

 

Thanks for the clarification harkness - it was becoming confusing

TD

 

...it certainly was TD. There were 3 Morris/Corless marriages (1907-1915) in Wigan alone!

 

Could this be Your John Morris. From the Doncaster Chronicle 19th October 1944 Page 8. Regards.

 

Hello,

I was in contact with his sister Doris Mason when she visited the Arnhem area, about twenty years ago. John Morris is mentioned in my book "Desert Rise - Arnhem Descent" about the 10th Battalion. John Morris was unfortunately killed during the breaktrough to Oosterbeek perimeter on Wednesday 20 september 1944. For further information you can contact me.

Best Regards,

Martin Peters

 

Hello,

I was bridesmaid for my great aunt Doris! Isn't that a coincidence? I'd love to be in contact with you and find out more. We are going to Arnhem on Sunday. I've only just logged back on not realising that I wasn't logged on!
My email is paula0607@msn.com if you happen to see this.

 

This is him and this is brilliant. Thank you!

 

Gosh, this is terrific research! Thank you so much. You've got the right family here and the start of a new thread! You've also shed light on a conundrum as I'd found some postcards to William which must have been from Orlando to his son. This is next to be followed up. Some of you people are so clever, I don't know how you find this stuff! Thank you!

 

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to research and reply. You've definitely found him and his family! I thought I was logged on and was patiently awaiting responses but I wasn't. I've only just seen all your wonderful responses, we are going to Arnhem at the weekend to visit his grave. If anyone sees this and has any more info it's always gratefully received.
Paula.

 

Hello,

Recommended highlights to visit are:

1 - Monday 18 September 1944: Ginkel
John landed around 14.00 hours on or north of Dropping Zone “Y”on Ginkel Heath (area Mossel, where part of D Company by mistake landed). There was some fighting to clear the DZ. Overnight position was in the woods south of Ginkel Heath. Is was a short but quiet night.

2 - Tuesday 19 September 1944 Wolfheze and Amsterdamseweg (Leeren Doedel)
The Battalion moved along the railway to Wolfheze towards the Amsterdamseweg. At the Leeren Doedel restaurant, corner Amsterdamseweg/Dreyenseweg the Battalion was stopped. No further advance towards Arnhem and the bridge was possible. In the wood behind the Leeren Doedel are still many slit trenches of the 10th Battalion.
John retreated with the battalion towards Wolfheze village, where there was heavy fighting. The battalion disintegrated. John must have spent the night in the woods or perhaps a house in Wolfheze.

3 - Wednesday 20 September 1944: Bilderberg Woods (and Arnhem - Oosterbeek War Cemetery)
In the morning the advance to Oosterbeek continued. Near Oosterbeek the advance was held up by the German troops present there (Bilderberg woods). A charge was ordered to break-through. Several were killed, including John Morris. John was first buried in a field grave area Van Tienhovenlaan and Valkenburglaan near the sportsgrounds Bilderberg.

My book ‘Desert Rise –Arnhem Descent’ is for sale in Oosterbeek at the bookshop Meijer & Siegers, next to the Schoonoord Restaurant. A photo of John is on page 157. Also recommended is the Roll of Honour - likely for sale here as well - in which John is mentioned as well.

I wish you a good visit.

Best regards,

Martin Peters

 

Hi Martin,

My apologies, I didn't realise who I was writing to before!

I did manage to get a copy of your book in Oosterbeek thankfully. We spent the Monday and Tuesday with Arjan and Liesbeth Vrieze who I believe you know as we were discussing you. I hadn't connected you contacting me on here with you being the author of the book at that point. I'd spoken to Graham Warner and Alec Wilson who you also probably know so had a lot of info about what the Tenth were doing. Arjan took us around the battle sites/drop zones/landing zones including the Valkenburglaan and sports ground.

I have so many questions I'd like to ask you about my great uncle, you may have theories of your own which could help me. If you were happy to?

I presume D. Mason who gave you the photo for the book is my great aunt Doris?

I await your reply.

My email is Paula0607 (at) msn.com for a direct reply if you wish.

Thanks so much.

Paula Morris.