Born: 1898, Bradford
Died: 3 May, 1917 Arras
Buried: No known grave
Address: 19 Chapel Walk, Eccleshill
Parents: James and Priscilla, nee Dorrington
Spouse:
Siblings: James, Bertha
Occupation: Doffer
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Eccleshill, Park and St Luke’s; Arras Memorial
Children:
Regiment: West Yorkshire
Alfred Henry ‘Harry’ Morris
Alfred Henry Morris (known as
Harry) was born in 1898 in
Bradford the son of James and
Priscilla, nee Dorrington.
The couple married in Salfard but
by 1901 they had moved to Idle.
Ten years later they were living at 5
High Street Place, Idle and James
was working as a fettler in woollen
manufacturing. At 13 years of age
Harry was working part time as a
doffer in a worsted spinning mill.
Harry enlisted as Private 505010 in
the 12th Battalion of the West
Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of
Wales Own) date unknown but
possibly around his 18th birthday
in March 1916.
At the time of his enlist-
ment he was living at 19
Chapel Walk, Eccleshill.
The third Battle of the
Scarpe during the Arras
offensive took place on the
3rd of May.
Jeremy Banning, a
freelance military historian
writes “The confusion caused by
the darkness; the speed with which
the German artillery opened fire;
the manner in which it concentrated
upon the British infantry, almost
neglecting the artillery; the
intensity of its fire, the heaviest that
many an experienced soldier had
ever witnessed, seemingly
unchecked by British
counter-battery fire and
lasting almost without
slackening for fifteen hours;
the readiness with which the
German infantry yielded to
the first assault and the
energy of its counter-attack;
and, it must be added, the
bewilderment of the British
infantry on finding itself in the
open and its inability to withstand
any resolute counter-attack.”
The attack was called off the
following day after incurring heavy
casualties.
Harry was originally reported
missing, then later as killed in
action and was one of four
casualties who died on this day and
whose names are recorded on the
War Memorial in St Luke’s Church,
Eccleshill. He was 19 years of
age.
He is remembered on the Arras
Memorial where the names of
35,492 officers and men who fell in
the Battles of Arras from the Spring
of 1916 until 7th of August 1918
and have no known grave.
He left his effects to his mother
Priscilla who received £2.10.0d on
the 28th of May 1918 and a War
Gratuity of £3.0.0d on the 16th of
April 1920.
.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks
