Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
William James Morris was the son of James and Annie (née Gainer) Morris and was born at Hucclecote, Gloucester on 22 August 1900. According to the 1901 Census his father was a gardener and the family lived at Court Lodge, Hucclecote. When the 1911 Census was taken Mr Morris had become a cycle repairer but it is unclear at which address. The family had by this time grown to two sons and a daughter, William being the elder son.
According to William’s Royal Naval record his occupation at the date of enlistment was a ‘book salesman’. Enlistment took place on 9 July 1918 and was for the duration of hostilities. After initial training he was posted to the Royal Navy Depot at Crystal Palace, on 6 August 1918. He died on 14 October 1918, at Lambeth in London, from broncho-pneumonia and cardiac failure: possibly a victim of the ‘Spanish Influenza’ epidemic. He was just eighteen years of age.
Originally he was commemorated on a stone headstone erected over a family grave inside the St. Philip & St. James Churchyard, Hucclecote However, the headstone became damaged and fell over and as a consequence in about 2009 the CWGC installed a memorial tablet on the grave, to ensure that he continued to be properly commemorated.
Researched by Graham Adams 3 November 2012