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Sergeant Robert Hunter Morrison

View Attestation Images [2]Attestation record: Robert Hunter Morrison Attestation record: Robert Hunter Morrison
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PERSONAL INFORMATION

Date of birth: 1892-06-18
Place of birth: Perth Scotland
Next of kin: Andrew Morrison, Father, Cliff at Hoo, Rochester, Kent, England.
Marital status: single
Occupation (attested): Farmer
Occupation (normalized): General Farmer
Address: Balcarres, Saskatchewan
Religion: Presbyterian
Date of death: 1917-08-15
Cause of death: Killed in action
Buried: Vimy Memorial, N/A

MILITARY INFORMATION

Regimental number: 105425
Highest Rank: Sergeant (5th Battalion)
Rank detail
  1. Private (Army). 1915-11-24 ?
  2. Sergeant-Major, 5th Battalion, Infantry (Army). 1917-08-14 ?
  3. Sergeant, 5th Battalion, Infantry (Army).
Degree of service: Europe
Survived war: no
Battle wounded/killed: Battle of Hill 70. “Attack South East of Loos.”
Awards

Military Medal
Description: When his Platoon was held up by wire and enemy machine gun fire, he crawled through a gap on the flank, bombed his way up the trench and captured the gun, thus allowing his Platoon to proceed. When the trench had been gained he at once headed a bombing party and cleared all the remaining gaps held by the enemy, which were giving a great deal of trouble.
Date of award: 1917-07-28
Source: War Diary 5th Battalion, July 4, 1917. London Gazette (see comment below)
Comment: He was a Lance Corporal in the 5th Battalion at the time of this award. Link to War Diary transcription.Medal Card - British National Archive - this index record gives his rank as Sergeant. Reference WO 372/23/146038 London Gazette - 27 July 1917 - Issue 30209 Page 7771

RESEARCH INFORMATION

CVWM ID: No CVWM ID in our database, but try this.
CWGC ID: 1572139
LAC ID: 205503
Attestation record(s): image 1, image 2
Service file: B6413-S039
Uploader's Notes:

Aged 26 (CWGC)

Son of Andrew Morrison, of Allen's Hill Farm, Cliffe-at-Hoo, Kent, England.

This man was killed at the start of the Battle of Hill 70. He was in the same company as Lieutenant Walsh who was on the extreme right of the advance. It was the company's job to take care of Nelson C.T. and Dynamite House in the event of the battalion reaching there before the 22nd Battalion which they did. Lt Walsh was wounded by a sniper while bombing Dynamite House and Sergeant Morrison was killed. At this point in the war diary he is referred to as Acting CSM. Sergeant Morrison was commended in the battle report for organising the men and getting them over in formation.

Brother of Sergeant George Edward Morrison (M.M.) 105465 and John Rakin Morrison 551390 , 3rd Divisional Cavalry.

Uploader's Research notes:

Info from the attestation papers, the 5th battalion war diary and this man is on the CWGC site (see link above.)

Details of death from Ancestry.com which includes a digitized image of the casualty form from the "Canada, War Graves Registers (Circumstances of Casualty), 1914-1948” database. This document indicates he received the Military Medal (M.M.) It gives his date of death as 15/16/8/17.

Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial

[Not Specified Army Canadian Infantry 68th Battalion Acting Company Sergeant Major Army Canadian Infantry 5th Battalion Sergeant Army Canadian Infantry 5th Battalion Military Medal When his Platoon was held up by wire and enemy machine gun fire, he crawled through a gap on the flank, bombed his way up the trench and captured the gun, thus allowing his Platoon to proceed. When the trench had been gained he at once headed a bombing party and cleared all the remaining gaps held by the enemy, which were giving a great deal of trouble.

He was a Lance Corporal in the 5th Battalion at the time of this award. Link to War Diary transcription.

Medal Card - British National Archive - this index record gives his rank as Sergeant. Reference WO 372/23/146038

London Gazette - 27 July 1917 - Issue 30209 Page 7771

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ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Date added: 2004-09-04
Last modified: 2014-06-14