Ernest Morris, Private, 5th Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
Above photo: Ernest Morris (1)
The 1901 census states that Ernest Morris, aged 5, was living with his father, William Morris (43), his mother Fanny Morris (38) and two brothers and one sister at Lower Goathouse. His father, William was a “cowman on farm”. Lower Goathouse was most likely connected to Goat House Farm which is situated to the west of Lingen. To this day it is the highest inhabited farmhouse in Herefordshire.
Above photo; Goat House Farm, today (2)
In the 1911 census, Ernest Morris was working for Edward Lloyd Jenkins as a “keeper on farm” at The Old Hall, Kingsland. Edward Lloyd Jenkins (51) was married to Annie Maria (38) and had two sons (one of whom was also called Edward) and a daughter. The children were all “scholars”. Edward Lloyd Jenkins appears to have been a prosperous farmer as the farmhouse comprised 10 rooms (including kitchen).
Below is a quote which relates to a Mr E. A. (Ted) Jenkins of Old Hall Farm, Kingsland. It is quite likely that Ted Jenkins was the son of Edward Lloyd Jenkins mentioned above. Despite the fact that this description of Ted Jenkins was written after Ernest Morris’s death, it gives a flavour of the environment in which Ernest Morris would have worked.
“In Kingsland, Mr E. A. (Ted) Jenkins at the Old Hall bred pedigree Hereford bulls for over thirty years and was awarded the herd name of Kingsland by the Hereford Herd Book Society. Two of his earliest bulls were named Kingsland Pilot and Kingsland Comrade.
Prior to showing the bulls at at an agriculture show or selling them at an auction, he would walk these gentle beasts along the North Road as far as the Monument Inn where no doubt in addition to buying a pint of Ansells for himself, he would also buy one for the bull. The bulls would in this way get used to crowds and noise and look and behave their best at the show or auction where they would be sold and go to a new home perhaps overseas and enjoy a life of sublime indolence among a herd of heifers.” (3)
By 1914, Ernest was living with his father, William Morris at Grove Cottage, Staunton on Arrow, Pembridge.
In the autumn of 1914 Ernest Morris volunteered for army service enlisting at Leominster with 5th Service Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light infantry (K.S.L.I.).
5th (Service Battalion) K.S.L.I. was raised at Shrewsbury in August 1914 as part of Kitchener’s New Army and joined 42nd Brigade 14th (Light) Division.
“5/KLSI suffered as did nearly all the new service battalions from severe shortages of weapons, uniform and equipment as those units already in action were deemed a priority. There was a chronic shortage of military instructors and indeed any experienced officers and non-commissioned officers to lead the battalion. Rapid decisions were made to promote officers and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) from amongst retired military personnel (‘Dug Outs’) and indeed from the ranks of the new volunteers. It was common for volunteers with previous leadership skills, influence or those from public schools to be appointed. Some of the officers were appointed from the Officer Training Corps of Shrewsbury School.” (4)
The battalion trained at Aldershot and Chiddingfold, Surrey and proceeded to France on 20th May 1915 landing at Boulogne. Four days later, the battalion fought at The Battle of Bellewaerde Ridge which the following war diary describes -
“24th May 1915 Battle of Bellewaerde (2nd Battle of Ypres) a ferocious German artillery bombardment slammed down on British V Corps front. The clamour of shells, machine guns and rifle fire was accompanied by a simultaneous discharge of chlorine gas. German soldiers assaulted in its wake. Although the favourable wind had alerted the British trench garrison to the likelihood of a gas attack, the proximity of the opposing trenches and speed of the enemy assault meant that many defenders failed to don their respirators quickly enough and large numbers were overcome. But the British defence rallied and the attackers were repelled by small arms fire.” (5)
“On 29th/30th July the battalion saw action at The Battle of Hooge on The Ypres Salient which was the first battle where the Germans deployed flamethrowers against the British although they had already been used a few times against the French. The new weapon caused chaos and not a little panic amongst the British troops. The Germans achieved total surprise and regained much of the ground that they had lost in the recent fighting.
Above photo: German Flame Throwers (Wikipedia)
“Half an hour before dawn the trench garrison stood to arms, and there was a still complete quiet. Then at 3.15 a.m., with dramatic suddenness, came the carefully planned German stroke. The site of the stables of the chateau was blown up, whilst a sudden hissing sound was heard by the two companies of the 8th Rifle Brigade on either side of the crater, and a bright crimson glare over the crater turned the whole scene red. Jets of flame, as if from a line of powerful hoses, spraying fire instead of water, shot across the front trenches of the Rifle Brigade, and a thick black cloud formed.
Above photo: Battle of Hooge (Wikipedia)
It was the first attack on the British with liquid fire. At the same time, fire of every other kind was opened: trench-mortar bombs and hand-grenades deluged the front trenches, machine-gun and shrapnel bullets swept the two communication trenches and the 300 yards of open ground between the front and support lines in Sanctuary and Zouave Woods; high-explosive shell rained on these Woods, whilst the ramparts of Ypres and all exits from the town were bombarded anew.” (6)
It was at this battle that Ernest Morris received a severe gunshot wound to his side.
The following is the type of journey that Ernest Morris would likely have taken to The General Hospital at Etaples to receive the appropriate medical attention. He managed to survive this hazardous journey. Many didn’t.
“Regimental Aid Post (RAP)
The RAMC [Royal Army Medical Corps] chain of evacuation began at a rudimentary care point within 200-300 yards of the front line. Regimental Aid Posts [RAPs] were set up in small spaces such as communication trenches, ruined buildings, dug outs or a deep shell hole. The walking wounded struggled to make their way to these whilst more serious cases were carried by comrades or sometimes stretcher bearers. The RAP had no holding capacity and here, often in appalling conditions, wounds would be cleaned and dressed, pain relief administered and basic first aid given.
Above photo: Regimental Aid Post (Wellcome Collection)
If possible men were returned to their duties but the more seriously wounded were carried by RAMC stretcher bearers often over muddy and shell-pocked ground, and under shell fire, to the ADS.
Advanced Dressing Station (ADS)
These were set up and run as part of the Field Ambulances [FAs] and would be sited about four hundred yards behind the RAPs in ruined buildings, underground dug outs and bunkers, in fact anywhere that offered some protection from shellfire and air attack. The ADS did not have holding capacity and though better equipped than the RAPs could still only provide limited medical care.
Above photo: Outside an Advanced Dressing Station (NAM)
Casualty Clearing Station (CCS)
These were the next step in the evacuation chain situated several miles behind the front line usually near railway lines and waterways so that the wounded could be evacuated easily to base hospitals. A CCS often had to move at short notice as the front line changed and although some were situated in permanent buildings such as schools, convents, factories or sheds many consisted of large areas of tents, marquees and wooden huts often covering half a square mile.
Above photo: Casualty Clearing Station (IWM)
A CCS would normally accommodate a minimum of fifty beds and 150 stretchers and could cater for 200 or more wounded and sick at any one time. Later in the war a CCS would be able to take in more than 500 and up to 1000 when under pressure. Initially the wounded were transported to the CCS in horse-drawn ambulances – a painful journey, and over time motor vehicles or even a narrow-gauge railway were used. Often the wounded poured in under dreadful conditions, the stretchers being placed on the floor in rows with barely room to stand between them
Gas was first used as a weapon at Ypres in April 1915 and thereafter as a weapon on both sides. Patients were brought in to the CCS suffering from the effects and poisoning of chlorine, phosgene and mustard gas among others.
From the CCS men were transported en masse in ambulance trains, road convoys or by canal barges to the large base hospitals near the French coast or to a hospital ship heading for England.
Ambulance Train
These trains transported the wounded from the CCSs to base hospitals near or at one of the channel ports. In 1914 some trains were composed of old French trucks and often the wounded men lay on straw without heating and conditions were primitive. Others were French passenger trains which were later fitted out as mobile hospitals with operating theatres, bunk beds and a full complement of QAIMNS (Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service) nurses, RAMC doctors and surgeons and RAMC medical orderlies.
Above photo; Ambulance Train (IWM)
Emergency operations would be performed despite the movement of the train, the cramped conditions and poor lighting. Hospital carriages were also manufactured and fitted out in England and shipped to France.
Hospital Barges
Many wounded were transported by water in hospital barges. Although slow, the journey was smooth and this time allowed the wounded to rest and recuperate. The barges were converted from a range of general use barges such as coal or cargo barges.
Above photo: Hospital barge (IWM)
The holds were converted to 30 bed hospital wards and nurses’ accommodation. They were heated by two stoves and provided with electric lighting which would have to be turned off at night to avoid being an easy target for German pilots. Nurses would have to make their rounds in pitch dark using a small torch.
Stationary Hospitals, General Hospitals & Base Area
Under the RAMC were two categories of base hospital serving the wounded from the Western Front.
There were two Stationary Hospitals to every Division and despite their name they were moved at times, each one designed to hold 400 casualties, and sometimes specialising in for instance the sick, gas victims, neurasthenia cases & epidemics. They normally occupied civilian hospitals in large cities and towns, but were equipped for field work if necessary.
Above photo: A Stationary Hospital, Rouen (Wikipedia)
The Stationary/General Hospitals were located near railway lines to facilitate movement of casualties from the CCSs on to the coastal ports. Large numbers were concentrated at Boulogne and Étaples. Grand hotels and other large buildings such as casinos were requisitioned but other hospitals were collections of huts, hastily constructed on open ground, with tents added as required, expanding capacity from 700 to 1,200 beds. At first there was a lack of basic facilities – no hot water, no taps, no sinks, no gas stoves and limited wash bowls.” (7)
Ernest Morris was admitted to Etaples General Hospital.
Above photo: Etaples Military Hospital (8)
“The Hospital had a staff of 241 (all from the St John Ambulance Brigade) including: seventeen medical and surgical officers, fifty-three trained nurses and twenty-four VAD nurses. As a Base Hospital, it received patients from the Casualty Clearing Stations which were situated a few miles behind the front line, and provided treatment, surgical support and some degree of convalescence to patients before they were evacuated to hospitals in the UK or returned to their units.” (9)
Apparently, Ernest Morris made a good early recovery but later suffered a relapse dying on the 18th September 1915. (10)
Ernest Morris was 19 years old at the time of his death.
In the “UK WW1 Pensions & Ledgers Index Cards”, Ernest Morris left the sum of £5 4s 4d (back pay) to his mother, Fanny.
He is buried at The Etaples Military Cemetery.
Above photo: Etaples Military Cemetery (CWGC)
“The cemetery contains 10,771 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, the earliest dating from May 1915. 35 of these burials are unidentified.
The cemetery, the largest Commission cemetery in France, was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.” (CWGC)
Ernest Morris as well as being commemorated at The Pembridge War Memorial is also commemorated at The Eardisland War Memorial and a memorial gate in his name can be found outside Eardisland.
Above photo: Ernest Morris memorial gate, Eardisland (11)
Rory MacColl
Sources
1/ https://www.eardislandmemorialwalks.org.uk/index.php/our-fallen/pte-ernest-morris
2/ https://mapcarta.com/W255801140
3/ https://kingslandlife.com/kingsland-history/memories-from-the-past/#thebellhouse
4/ https://www.soldiersofshropshire.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/5%EF%80%A2KLSI-1914-1918.pdf
5/ https://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/greatwar-day-by-day/viewday.php?dey=24&mth=May&year=1915
6/ https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/story/105301
8/ https://museumstjohn.org.uk/etaples-reports-project-introduction/
9/ https://museumstjohn.org.uk/etaples-reports-project-introduction/
10/ Shropshire & Herefordshire Light Infantry Combined Charitable Trust
11/ https://www.eardislandmemorialwalks.org.uk/index.php/our-fallen/pte-ernest-morris