Wednesday 20 December 2017

Fine record of Service

My maternal Great-Grand-Uncle Thomas Fitzherbert MORGAN and his wife Sarah MCNAY were married in Victoria in 1894.
Thomas was born at Euroa in 1868, Sarah at Moonee Ponds in 1873.
They had eleven children born between 1895 and 1918, eight boys and three girls who, all except one of the girls who died of Meningitis at the age of 12, survived to adulthood.  One son, William was killed in World War One and another son Benjamin died in a German P.O.W camp in World War Two.


FINE RECORD OF SERVICE (1940, February 9). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 5. Retrieved December 19, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11295149

Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Friday 9 February 1940, page 5

FINE RECORD OF SERVICE
EUROA Thursday - The Morgan family of Euroa has a fine record of service. Seven of the eight sons of Mr. and Mrs. T F Morgan, of McGuiness street, Euroa have served or are serving King and country.
Privates A. T. Morgan and T. F. Morgan and Bugler W. J. P. Morgan killed in action on Gallipoli served with the A.I.F:  Petty-Officer J G Morgan has served his term in the Navy. Private John S. G. Morgan and Private B. R. Morgan have enlisted in the Second A.I.F and are in camp: and Lance Corporal H.C.S Morgan is in camp with the Militia at Seymour.


Born 1895 Euroa, died 1978 Euroa.

Born 1899 Euroa died 1982 Heidelberg, Victoria.

Born 1897 Euroa died 1915 at Gallipoli.

Born Euroa 1907 died at Essendon in 1982.
Sgt John Morgan born at Euroa, Victoria in 1918. Died Tallangatta, Victoria in 2004.
Benjamin was born at Euroa in 1910 died 1945 Germany.

Harry Somerville Halliday Morgan was born at Euroa in 1912.
 He died at Heidelberg in 1976.
Photos are from the Morgan Family Reunion book 1980 which was contributed to by many family members and compiled by Rhonda Morgan, then Payne.

Thursday 7 December 2017

Private Thomas Fitzherbert MORGAN 6842 - WW1

Thomas Fitzherbert MORGAN was born at Hillston, New South Wales on the 4th of January 1885, the fifth child and second eldest son of John Osborn MORGAN and Martha WARD.

He never married.
Thomas enlisted in the A.I.F 24th Battalion on the 31st of July 1917. 
He was age 31 years and 7 months,  5 foot 10 inches tall, weighed 11 stone 11 pound, fair complexion, blue eyes 6/6, fair hair, Religious Denomination C of E (Church of England).

Description
"Studio portrait of 6842A Private (Pte) Thomas Fitzherbert Morgan. A labourer from Euroa, Victoria prior to enlistment, Pte Morgan embarked with the 20th Reinforcements, 24th Battalion from Melbourne on HMAT Nestor on 21 November 1917. Later posted as missing in action, it was subsequently discovered that he had been wounded in action and was being held as a prisoner of war in Germany. Following the Armistice he was repatriated to England and returned to Australia on 31 March 1919. This is one of a series of photographs taken by the Darge Photographic Company which had a concession to take photographs at the Broadmeadows and Seymour army camps during the First World War. In the 1930s, the Australian War Memorial purchased the original glass negatives from Algernon Darge, along with the photographers’ notebooks. The notebooks contain brief details, usually a surname or unit name, for each negative."  

Thomas was single.
Next of kin on his papers was his mother Mrs. J Morgan of Kirkland Street, Euroa, and his permanent address was given as Kirkland Street, Euroa.
Copyright expired - public domain
Thomas also enlisted in WW2.  His service record has not yet been examined.
MORGAN THOMAS F : Service Number - V380702 : Date of birth - 04 Jan 1888 : Place of birth - HILLSTON NSW : Place of enlistment - EUROA VIC : Next of Kin - MORGAN MARTHA


This photo of Thomas is in the Morgan Family Reunion Book.  
Could this be a WW2 photo and the above a WW1 photo?
Can any family members help?

All these Thomas Fitzherbert Morgan's are confusing. 

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Tribute to the soldiers of my family

Wednesday 6 December 2017

Private Thomas Fitzherbert MORGAN 55670 - WW1

Thomas Fitzherbert MORGAN applied to enlist in the Australian Imperial Forces on the 23rd of March 1917.
As he was under the age of 21 years both parents, T. F Morgan and Sarah Annie Morgan, had to sign their consent.

Thomas enlisted on the 2nd of  May 1917, aged 18 years and 2 months. His Service Number was 55670.
Occupation  Boot repairer.
Born near the town of Euroa.
Marital status single.
Next of Kin, father Thomas F Morgan Euroa.
Permanent address, McGuiness St Euroa

As all enlistees had to do, he signed the declaration:
I, Thomas Fitzherbert Morgan, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force from 2 - 5 - 17 until the end of the War, and further period of four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed, or removed therefrom; and that I will resist His Majesty's enemies and cause His Majesty's peace to be kept and maintained; and that I will in all matters appertaining to my service, faithfully discharge my duty according to law.

SO HELP ME, GOD

Taken and subscribed at Euroa in the State of Victoria this 2nd day of May 1917 as a Private in the 7th General Victorian Reinforcements.

Thomas was 5 foot 3 and a half inches tall with a chest measurement of 30 - 33 inches.
Weight 8 stone 6 pounds.
Fair complexion.
Blue eyes both 6/6
Fair hair
Religious Denomination Presbiterian (sic)

Embarkation from Australia was on the 23rd of July 1918 on board  A74 HMT "MARATHON" at Melbourne
Disembarked A74 London on the 27th of September, 1918.
A74 HMAT MARATHON.
Copyright expired - public domain

Thomas was a Private in the 1st training battalion from Australia allotted to RFTS 7th Battalion.
He proceeded overseas from Southhampton to France on the 25th of January, 1919.

On the 8th of February, 1919 he was admitted to hospital with influenza.
On the 22nd of February, 1919  he rejoined his unit from the hospital.

Thomas returned to Australia from England on board the Persic on the 23rd of May 1919.

Copyright expired - public domain
Either one of two Private Thomas Fitzherbert Morgans who were first cousins once removed.
Australian War memorial Description
"Studio portrait of T F Morgan, either 6842 Private (Pte) Thomas Fitzherbert Morgan or 55670 Pte Thomas Fitzherbert Morgan. A labourer from Euroa, Victoria prior to enlistment, 6842 Pte Morgan embarked with the 20th Reinforcements, 24th Battalion from Melbourne on HMAT Nestor on 21 November 1917. Later reported as missing in action it was subsequently discovered that he had been captured and was being held as a prisoner of war. Following the Armistice he was repatriated to England and returned to Australia on 31 March 1919. 

55670 Pte Morgan, a boot repairer from Euroa, Victoria prior to enlistment, served as a Corporal with the 1st (Depot) Battalion at Broadmeadows before reverting to the rank of Private and embarking for overseas service 7th Victorian Reinforcements from Melbourne on HMAT Marathon on 23 July 1918. He was later allotted to the 7th Battalion but the Armistice was declared before he could join his unit and he returned to Australia on 13 July 1919. Note: Although both men share the same name and are both from Euroa, there is nothing on their records to indicate any relationship. This is one of a series of photographs taken by the Darge Photographic Company which had a concession to take photographs at the Broadmeadows and Seymour army camps during the First World War. In the 1930s, the Australian War Memorial purchased the original glass negatives from Algernon Darge, along with the photographers’ notebooks. The notebooks contain brief details, usually a surname or unit name, for each negative."

Thomas later became a hairdresser and in 1924 was living at the Albion Hotel in Horsham, Victoria.

In 1926 he married Cathrine OLIVER.  They moved to Romsey in Victoria.

The Victorian electoral rolls show Thomas and Cathrine living at Romsey in 1931 and 1936 where he was still a hairdresser.

Thomas also enlisted in WW2
MORGAN THOMAS FITZHERBERT : Service Number - VX105801 : Date of birth - 18 Mar 1898 : Place of birth - ROMSEY VIC : Place of enlistment - FIELD QLD : Next of Kin - MORGAN CATHRINE

By 1949 they were living at 29 Thomas Street, Williamstown and were there until the 1980 Victorian electoral rolls.
Thomas Fitzherbert Morgan died in 1982.
Victorian death registration number 14802.

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