Background
Robert Morris Jr. was born June 28, 1890 in Warwick, Birmingham, England to
Robert Morris and Ellen Collier. According to the census of England and
Wales, Robert Jr. would have eleven siblings named Letty, Albert, Lilly,
Henry, Edward, Maggie, Thomas, Nellie, Harold, Clemet, and Mona. Records
also illustrate that he would have a foster brother named John Charnley, a
young man from England who had been friends with Robert, Albert, and Henry.
While family stories suggest that the Morris’ had primarily come to Canada
looking for job opportunities in the early 1900s, the 1911 census of
England and Wales suggests they may have gone back to England before coming
to work at the Marysville cotton mill. The family would later move to May’s
Landing, New Jersey after the war. Few details highlight Robert Jr.’s life
in Fredericton, however, records suggest he worked as a weaver at the
Marysville mill and that he had prior experience in England doing similar
work. Coming from a large family, newspapers suggest that they all were
well known in the north and south side Fredericton communities.
At the time of his enlistment in Sussex, New Brunswick, on July 28, 1915,
Robert Jr. was unmarried and described as having blue eyes, brown hair, a
fair complexion, while standing five feet six inches tall. Along with his
brothers, Albert and John, he would join the 55th Battalion. Family
histories suggest that their younger brother Henry had been the first of
the Morris boys to go off to war. As Robert’s attestation paper reveals
that he had no prior experience in the military, it is likely that his
decision to join was influenced by his brothers and Henry who had already
been fighting overseas. At the age of 25, Robert made his way to
Valcartier, Quebec for more training in the summer, and they would all be
together as they prepared to go overseas a few months later.
Wartime Experience
On October 30, 1915, Robert Jr. and his two brothers left Montreal, Quebec
aboard the S.S. Corsican for England, arriving on November 9. Robert would
be with the 55th and 36th Battalions in England over the winter of 1915,
however, he would later be attached to a machine gun unit in April 1916.
According to his service record, by that summer Private Morris would leave
with the 4th Machine Gun Company for France. Records appear to show that
after arriving in England, the three brothers would finally go their
separate ways towards the front. The Battle of the Somme had just begun,
and it is likely that Robert Jr. was heading to northern France and the
Ypres Salient with his unit.
After arriving, there are few details in his service record regarding where
he was over the winter of 1916, but he was admitted to hospital for a week
on February 21, 1917 due to an undisclosed illness. He would be with the
4th Machine Gun Company in the months leading up to Vimy Ridge, significant
because it would be the first time the four Canadian Divisions would be
training and fighting together. The Battle of Vimy Ridge would formally
begin April 9 and over the next few days Robert Jr. would be with his
company moving north of Thelus. On April 11, according to his circumstances
of death form, Private Morris would be on duty with his machine gun company
when he was “instantly killed by an enemy shell”. News of Robert Jr.’s
death would reach local newspapers in Fredericton, May 3, indicating that
he had died the Wednesday after Easter. His foster brother, John, had been
killed months earlier during the Somme. In a letter written to his father
Robert Morris Sr., by Captain J. G. Weir, he had gone “safely through the
attack of the 9th of April but was instantly killed by a shell while
standing at duty in the gun pit beside one of the guns. You and your family
will have the deepest sympathy of the officers and men of the company”.
After Robert and John’s death, as well Fred Tylor and James Stickles, the
north side community created a fund so that a memorial tablet could be made
for the “brave young men of St. Mary’s parish who have paid the supreme
sacrifice”. Today, that memorial tablet, once in a local church, now
resides in the entrance of Devon Middle School. At the time of his death,
Robert Jr. was twenty-seven years old.
Lest We Forget
Private Robert Morris Jr. is buried and honoured at the Bois-Carre British
Cemetery located in Arras, France. According to the Commonwealth War Graves
Commission, Robert is one of approximately 449 names honoured here.