(DAVID) MORRIS LAWSON
Regimental No. 24/1415
8 July 1895 – 7 June 1917
David Morris LAWSON, known as Morris/Maurice, was born in Wellington on 8 July 1895. He was the third of seven children of David and Margaret Mary (nee WEMYSS) Lawson who had married at Wairau on 6 December 1890. Morris’s older siblings were Ruby Margaret born 12 November 1891 and Lionel John born 10 December 1893; his younger siblings were David Wemyss (known as Wemyss) born 16 February 1897, Maxwell Wemyss born 8 August 1899, Oscar Alexander (known as Alexander) born July 1902 and Herbert Stanley born 21 August 1904. Morris’s father, David, was a tailor who had immigrated to New Zealand from Torso, Sweden in 1884¹.
The family moved around a lot during the children’s school days, presumably chasing employment opportunities for David. Morris and his brothers and sister were to attend schools in many different places. Morris, registered as Maurice, started school on 16 July 1900 at Vogeltown School, Brooklyn, but was only there until October when he left and attended school in Palmerston North for a short time. He returned to Vogeltown School in November 1900 and stayed until 28 May 1901 when he left for Waimea School in Nelson. He was there for nearly a year, returning to Vogeltown School on 12 April 1902. This time with the family living in Harrison Street in Brooklyn Morris was to stay at Vogeltown School for the longest time of his schooling years, not leaving until 15 September 1905. He then attended Levin District High School for a short time, before the family moved to Manchester Street, Feilding and he attended Manchester Street School from July 1906. He left there on 22 March 1907 to attend school in Marton. The family returned to the capital to live in Wade Crescent, Wellington in May 1908 and Morris attended Thorndon School until he left school on 5 October 1909 to become a cadet with the Post & Telegraph Department.
When Morris enlisted at Trentham on 15 May 1915 he was with the Territorial Army A Company 7th Regiment. On his attestation papers he stated that he had been born 8 July 1894 and that he was 30 years 10 months old, neither of which statement was true as he was actually underage, being not quite 20 years old. He seems to have given up his P&T cadetship as he was a farmer working for S.R. Skevington, Fordell. His employer was Samuel Skevington who farmed at Fordell, near Whanganui.
According to his medical record Morris was 5 feet 9½ inches tall; weighed 128 pounds, his chest was 31 minimum and 35 maximum; he had fair hair and complexion, blue eyes and his religious profession was Presbyterian. His sight was 6/6; hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were normal; his limbs and chest well formed and his teeth were fair and he had dentures. There were no defects that would cause his rejection for service.
He was given the regimental number 24/1415 in F Company 8th Reinforcements in the New Zealand Rifle Brigade and began his training as a rifleman at Trentham camp. On 17 October 1915 he was inoculated against typhoid and the following day he overstayed his leave pass and was punished by forfeiture of 1 day’s pay. He was inoculated again for typhoid on 23 October 1915.
On 13 November 1915 Morris , in F Company 2nd Reinforcements to 2nd Battalion NZ Rifle Brigade, embarked with HMNST 35 or 36, one of 2,585 men who made up the 8th Reinforcements, on the ‘Willochra’ and ‘Tofua’ bound for Suez, disembarking on 20 December 1915.
Either the climate in Cairo, or the effects of a long sea journey were not to Morris’s advantage as he spent several periods in hospital. On 26 December 1915 he was admitted to the New Zealand General Hospital in Cairo with bronchitis and discharged to Base at Khartoum on 6 January 1916. He was only there until 5 February when he was again admitted to the General Hospital in Cairo with influenza. He remained there until 14 February 1916 when he was discharged to the Lady Godley Convalescent Home in Zeitoun suffering from bronchitis and catarrh. Presumably he therefore missed out on most of the training his comrades received.
By 3 March 1916 Morris was finally well enough to be attached to the New Zealand Training Battalion before joining the 2nd Battalion 3rd NZ Rifle Brigade and posted to ‘B’ Company at Ismailia on 11 March 1916. Morris remained with them until 6 April when he embarked for France from Alexandria.
Once again, Morris was hospitalised from 20 April to 4 May 1916 before rejoining his unit in Rouen. On 20 May 1916 while with F Company in the field he was deprived of 28 days pay for not complying with an order (leaving his rifle during stand to).
Morris had only been in the field for less than two months before he was wounded for the first time. On 19 July 1916 Morris was wounded in action and admitted to No.1 N.Z. Field Ambulance with shell shock. He was then admitted to the No.1 Canadian Clearing Station until 29 July before being admitted to the No.1 Ambulance Depot the next day. On 4 August 1916 Morris was attached to the New Zealand Infantry & Gun Base Depot at Etaples, but it was not long before he was again admitted to No.24 General Hospital with boils on his left ear. On 4 September he was back with the New Zealand Infantry & Gun Base Depot at Etaples for a few days before rejoining his unit in the field in the 2nd Battalion of 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade on 8 September.
Morris was wounded in action a second time on 15 September 1916 and admitted to No.1 New Zealand Field Ambulance with gun shot wounds to his right arm. This was the day the New Zealand Division was in its first major action near Flers during the Somme offensive. Morris’s wounds were sufficiently severe to keep him out of action for six months.
Morris was moved first to the No. 36 Casualty Clearing Station, then to No. 9 General Hospital at Rouen, before embarking on HS Adversary for England, where on 24 September he was admitted to No.1 N.Z. General Hospital at Brockenhurst, Hampshire before being moved to the New Zealand Convalescent Hospital at Hornchurch, Essex on 27 September. After recovering Morris remained in England at Codford Command Depot where on 19 November 1916 he forfeited 2 days pay for being absent off base for 18 hours.
In February 1917 Morris was moved from Codford to the 5th Reserve Battalion at Sling. He was there a month before again being attached to New Zealand Infantry & Gun Battalion Depot at Etaples, France. He rejoined his unit the 2nd Battalion 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade in the field on 31 March 1917. On 18 April 1917 Morris had diarrhoea which again put him into the No.12 Casualty Clearing Station until he rejoined his unit on 6 May 1917, in time to be involved in final preparations for the Battle of Messines.
For two years tunnellers had been running shafts under the German front line on the Somme around the town of Messines, and these were packed with high explosives. This was only part of the extensive preparations made for a major assault planned to start on 7 June 1917.
“Messines would be arguably the best-prepared attack made by the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front. Jumping-off trenches were dug at night, transport facilities were developed and material was stockpiled. Infantrymen practised the assault behind the lines on ground similar to that they would traverse. All the while the gunners battered the enemy front line, as well as searching for and neutralising German artillery batteries. They also prepared a creeping barrage for the assault that was far more sophisticated than that used on the Somme in 1916.
The attack was a striking success. Heralded by the awe-inspiring thunder of the mine explosions, the men of nine divisions set off forward at 3.10 a.m. on 7 June 1917. In the New Zealanders’ sector, as in the others, there was little immediate enemy artillery fire, so well had the artillery suppression plan worked. The leading elements were across no-man’s-land before the German gunners began to respond.” https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/western-front-1917#heading4
Morris was one of those killed as the Battle for Messines was launched on 7 June 1917. He was only just 22 years old, and though he had been serving for two years, he had previously seen little action. According to his military personnel file in National Archives, Wellington, he was “buried on Messines Hill, 500 yards west south west of La Basse Court farm, almost due north of spire of St Vaast Church, Arementieres.” Though Morris has though no marked grave he is commemorated on the Messines Ridge (NZ) Memorial which is within Messines Ridge British Cemetery. There are 828 men named on this Memorial all of whom died in or near Messines in 1917 and 1918 and they all have no known grave.
Morris’s older brother Lionel had also signed up, on 3 January 1916, but on 11 May the same year a Medical Board at Trentham declared him unfit for service because of a weak heart, He had apparently had rheumatic fever as a child, which often causes heart damage. Another attempt to enlist in mid-1917 was also rejected.
Morris’s plaque and scroll were sent to his mother at 13 Yule Street, Kilbirnie in 1922. She received his 1914-1915 Star, British War and Victory medals in 1924 at 11 Ross Street, Kilbirnie. Margaret died in October 1927 at the age of 62 years and was buried in the Public section of Karori Cemetery. David, who had finally become a naturalised citizen of New Zealand in 1920 died in December 1938 aged 77 at Wellington, and was buried with his wife at Karori.
Research conducted by Ann Walker.
1 Svenskarna I Nya Zeeland by Sten Aminoff (Book on Swedish Emigration to NZ) p.263.
Regimental No. 24/1415
8 July 1895 – 7 June 1917
David Morris LAWSON, known as Morris/Maurice, was born in Wellington on 8 July 1895. He was the third of seven children of David and Margaret Mary (nee WEMYSS) Lawson who had married at Wairau on 6 December 1890. Morris’s older siblings were Ruby Margaret born 12 November 1891 and Lionel John born 10 December 1893; his younger siblings were David Wemyss (known as Wemyss) born 16 February 1897, Maxwell Wemyss born 8 August 1899, Oscar Alexander (known as Alexander) born July 1902 and Herbert Stanley born 21 August 1904. Morris’s father, David, was a tailor who had immigrated to New Zealand from Torso, Sweden in 1884¹.
The family moved around a lot during the children’s school days, presumably chasing employment opportunities for David. Morris and his brothers and sister were to attend schools in many different places. Morris, registered as Maurice, started school on 16 July 1900 at Vogeltown School, Brooklyn, but was only there until October when he left and attended school in Palmerston North for a short time. He returned to Vogeltown School in November 1900 and stayed until 28 May 1901 when he left for Waimea School in Nelson. He was there for nearly a year, returning to Vogeltown School on 12 April 1902. This time with the family living in Harrison Street in Brooklyn Morris was to stay at Vogeltown School for the longest time of his schooling years, not leaving until 15 September 1905. He then attended Levin District High School for a short time, before the family moved to Manchester Street, Feilding and he attended Manchester Street School from July 1906. He left there on 22 March 1907 to attend school in Marton. The family returned to the capital to live in Wade Crescent, Wellington in May 1908 and Morris attended Thorndon School until he left school on 5 October 1909 to become a cadet with the Post & Telegraph Department.
When Morris enlisted at Trentham on 15 May 1915 he was with the Territorial Army A Company 7th Regiment. On his attestation papers he stated that he had been born 8 July 1894 and that he was 30 years 10 months old, neither of which statement was true as he was actually underage, being not quite 20 years old. He seems to have given up his P&T cadetship as he was a farmer working for S.R. Skevington, Fordell. His employer was Samuel Skevington who farmed at Fordell, near Whanganui.
According to his medical record Morris was 5 feet 9½ inches tall; weighed 128 pounds, his chest was 31 minimum and 35 maximum; he had fair hair and complexion, blue eyes and his religious profession was Presbyterian. His sight was 6/6; hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were normal; his limbs and chest well formed and his teeth were fair and he had dentures. There were no defects that would cause his rejection for service.
He was given the regimental number 24/1415 in F Company 8th Reinforcements in the New Zealand Rifle Brigade and began his training as a rifleman at Trentham camp. On 17 October 1915 he was inoculated against typhoid and the following day he overstayed his leave pass and was punished by forfeiture of 1 day’s pay. He was inoculated again for typhoid on 23 October 1915.
On 13 November 1915 Morris , in F Company 2nd Reinforcements to 2nd Battalion NZ Rifle Brigade, embarked with HMNST 35 or 36, one of 2,585 men who made up the 8th Reinforcements, on the ‘Willochra’ and ‘Tofua’ bound for Suez, disembarking on 20 December 1915.
Either the climate in Cairo, or the effects of a long sea journey were not to Morris’s advantage as he spent several periods in hospital. On 26 December 1915 he was admitted to the New Zealand General Hospital in Cairo with bronchitis and discharged to Base at Khartoum on 6 January 1916. He was only there until 5 February when he was again admitted to the General Hospital in Cairo with influenza. He remained there until 14 February 1916 when he was discharged to the Lady Godley Convalescent Home in Zeitoun suffering from bronchitis and catarrh. Presumably he therefore missed out on most of the training his comrades received.
By 3 March 1916 Morris was finally well enough to be attached to the New Zealand Training Battalion before joining the 2nd Battalion 3rd NZ Rifle Brigade and posted to ‘B’ Company at Ismailia on 11 March 1916. Morris remained with them until 6 April when he embarked for France from Alexandria.
Once again, Morris was hospitalised from 20 April to 4 May 1916 before rejoining his unit in Rouen. On 20 May 1916 while with F Company in the field he was deprived of 28 days pay for not complying with an order (leaving his rifle during stand to).
Morris had only been in the field for less than two months before he was wounded for the first time. On 19 July 1916 Morris was wounded in action and admitted to No.1 N.Z. Field Ambulance with shell shock. He was then admitted to the No.1 Canadian Clearing Station until 29 July before being admitted to the No.1 Ambulance Depot the next day. On 4 August 1916 Morris was attached to the New Zealand Infantry & Gun Base Depot at Etaples, but it was not long before he was again admitted to No.24 General Hospital with boils on his left ear. On 4 September he was back with the New Zealand Infantry & Gun Base Depot at Etaples for a few days before rejoining his unit in the field in the 2nd Battalion of 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade on 8 September.
Morris was wounded in action a second time on 15 September 1916 and admitted to No.1 New Zealand Field Ambulance with gun shot wounds to his right arm. This was the day the New Zealand Division was in its first major action near Flers during the Somme offensive. Morris’s wounds were sufficiently severe to keep him out of action for six months.
Morris was moved first to the No. 36 Casualty Clearing Station, then to No. 9 General Hospital at Rouen, before embarking on HS Adversary for England, where on 24 September he was admitted to No.1 N.Z. General Hospital at Brockenhurst, Hampshire before being moved to the New Zealand Convalescent Hospital at Hornchurch, Essex on 27 September. After recovering Morris remained in England at Codford Command Depot where on 19 November 1916 he forfeited 2 days pay for being absent off base for 18 hours.
In February 1917 Morris was moved from Codford to the 5th Reserve Battalion at Sling. He was there a month before again being attached to New Zealand Infantry & Gun Battalion Depot at Etaples, France. He rejoined his unit the 2nd Battalion 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade in the field on 31 March 1917. On 18 April 1917 Morris had diarrhoea which again put him into the No.12 Casualty Clearing Station until he rejoined his unit on 6 May 1917, in time to be involved in final preparations for the Battle of Messines.
For two years tunnellers had been running shafts under the German front line on the Somme around the town of Messines, and these were packed with high explosives. This was only part of the extensive preparations made for a major assault planned to start on 7 June 1917.
“Messines would be arguably the best-prepared attack made by the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front. Jumping-off trenches were dug at night, transport facilities were developed and material was stockpiled. Infantrymen practised the assault behind the lines on ground similar to that they would traverse. All the while the gunners battered the enemy front line, as well as searching for and neutralising German artillery batteries. They also prepared a creeping barrage for the assault that was far more sophisticated than that used on the Somme in 1916.
The attack was a striking success. Heralded by the awe-inspiring thunder of the mine explosions, the men of nine divisions set off forward at 3.10 a.m. on 7 June 1917. In the New Zealanders’ sector, as in the others, there was little immediate enemy artillery fire, so well had the artillery suppression plan worked. The leading elements were across no-man’s-land before the German gunners began to respond.” https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/western-front-1917#heading4
Morris was one of those killed as the Battle for Messines was launched on 7 June 1917. He was only just 22 years old, and though he had been serving for two years, he had previously seen little action. According to his military personnel file in National Archives, Wellington, he was “buried on Messines Hill, 500 yards west south west of La Basse Court farm, almost due north of spire of St Vaast Church, Arementieres.” Though Morris has though no marked grave he is commemorated on the Messines Ridge (NZ) Memorial which is within Messines Ridge British Cemetery. There are 828 men named on this Memorial all of whom died in or near Messines in 1917 and 1918 and they all have no known grave.
Morris’s older brother Lionel had also signed up, on 3 January 1916, but on 11 May the same year a Medical Board at Trentham declared him unfit for service because of a weak heart, He had apparently had rheumatic fever as a child, which often causes heart damage. Another attempt to enlist in mid-1917 was also rejected.
Morris’s plaque and scroll were sent to his mother at 13 Yule Street, Kilbirnie in 1922. She received his 1914-1915 Star, British War and Victory medals in 1924 at 11 Ross Street, Kilbirnie. Margaret died in October 1927 at the age of 62 years and was buried in the Public section of Karori Cemetery. David, who had finally become a naturalised citizen of New Zealand in 1920 died in December 1938 aged 77 at Wellington, and was buried with his wife at Karori.
Research conducted by Ann Walker.
1 Svenskarna I Nya Zeeland by Sten Aminoff (Book on Swedish Emigration to NZ) p.263.