Category Archives: Commemorated name/s

Ernest Victor Morris

Commemorated name/s, Dardanelles, Other Regiments, RFC / RAF

Ernest Victor Morris
Air Mechanic 2nd Class B/40997
56th Kite Balloon Section, Royal Flying Corps.

  Division 18 

 Morris EV photo  CIMG2092

Ernest Victor Morris was the son of Frederick Watson Morris and Louisa Morris, of 27, Castle Street, Reading. The 1911 census Louisa Morris ran a Cornmerchants from the home address with Ernest and his sister Hilda working in the business. Ernest’s father was an overseer at the Post office as did sister Ethel who was a telephonist. He was the husband of Dorothy Mary Harris (formerly Morris), of 59, Blenheim Road, Caversham, Oxfordshire. Born about 1891 Ernest Victor was  aged 27  when he was lost at sea on the 31st December 1917 .  He is commemorated on his parents grave and also the Chatby memorial, Egypt.

From 1914 to 1919, transports and Hospital Ships traversed the seas to and from Alexandria, bringing reinforcements for Egypt, Gallipoli or Palestine and carrying the sick and wounded out of the theatres of war.  Hundreds of men died on the high seas from sickness, wounds or accident and received the same burial as a sailor who dies at sea.  Their graves are the sea itself and the Chatby Memorial records their names.

On the 30th December 1917, the hired transport ship “Aragon” was torpedoed whilst entering the harbour at Alexandria.  The Master, eighteen crew and 380 soldiers bodies were not recovered.  The following day the hired transport “Osmanieh” struck a mine in the same place and sank together with 76 men who sailed in her.  It is not yet known in which of the two ships Ernest Victor Morris sailed.

William Ivor Mitchell

Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Ypres

William Ivor Mitchell
Private 267982
Hertfordshire Regiment

 Division 2

Mitchell W I photo

William Ivor Mitchell (Mick) was the husband of Sarah Dove Mitchell, of 144 Southampton Street, Reading.   Before the war he worked for Huntley and Palmers for 12 years.

He was posted missing after last being seen on the 31st July 1917, this was the start of the Third Battle of Ypres.  His wife appealed for information in the Standard of 18th August 1917.  His officer had written: ‘The last sign of your husband was just before we reached our final position…. He was always cheery and most popular among his comrades in the platoon, he will be sadly missed by all.  I can only express to you my deepest sympathy in your sad loss’.

His wife and children acknowledged that he must be dead in the ‘In Memoriam’ published August 2nd 1919. His name is on his wife’s grave.

William Mitchell’s body was never found and he has no known grave.  He is commemorated on the Menin Gate memorial Panel 54 and 56.

Cecil Rupert May

Army, Commemorated name/s, Royal Berkshire Regiment

Cecil Rupert May
Private 1st/4th Battalion
Royal Berkshire Regiment

May CR photo May CR grave

Cecil Rupert May is commemorated on his parents grave. He was the son of Frederick and Harriet May of 51, Market Place,  Reading.  It has not been possible to obtain information about Cecil Rupert May from Ancestry sources. He was killed in action on 16th May 1916.  Cecil May is buried in Hébuterne Military Cemetery, location I B 9.

The 1st/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment were the first British Battalion to take over from the French.   In May, the 1st/4th’s took over “G” sector, an area of unfamiliar and difficult ground near Tourvent farm on the outskirts of Serre.  The ground was badly cut up with old trenches and shell holes and littered with bones from the fighting in June 1915.  The communications trench was 1½ miles long and in a very poor state.  Rations had to be brought up from Hébuterne.  The front line was itself a salient which projected towards the strong German defence system around Serre.  The line was defended with some difficulty using an arrangement of disconnected outposts.

At 12.30 a.m. on the morning of 16th May a raid took place.  The Germans had opened a violent bombardment on another sector around midnight on the left of the 48th Division.  The guns of the 48th division responded to a false SOS and the Germans, after registering on the division guns, then directed heavy fire at the batteries.  Across a frontage of 600 yards two platoons of the 1st/4th’s manned seven detached posts.

The bombardment lasted half an hour and was directed at the front and supervision lines.  At 1 a.m. the bombardment shifted to the support and reserve trenches with shells falling at a rate of a hundred per minute.  “B” company in their outposts were over powered and half a supporting platoon of “A” company were destroyed in the bombardment.  When the Germans finally made their attack the outposts were in such disarray that they managed to get in behind and attack the Berkshires from the rear.  The attack, continued by German infantry until 1.40a.m. along different parts of the salient, and the bombardment went on all night until it stopped at dawn.

Losses numbered 98, 18 killed and 29 missing, later most were reported as prisoners of war.  ‘B’ company lost half its fighting strength.  This was the first serious test for the 1st/4th’s and their endurance, discipline and fighting spirit were praised by the Divisional and Corps Commanders.  Cecil May was killed during this action.

Detail of this action are taken from the History of the Royal Berkshire Regiment by Petre and as written up in ‘The School,the Master,the Boys and the VC’ – the story behind the Alfred Sutton School War Memorial and the Great War 1914-1918.