"The Senussi Muslims of Libya, inspired by Turkish propaganda, attacked the British on Egypt's Western frontier in November 1915. The 1 New Zealand Rifle Brigade went to support a mixture of largely untried troops (Egyptian, Sikh, Australian and New Zealanders) known as the Western Frontier Force. On 19 December William left Alexandria by ship bound for Mersa Matruh, 200 miles west of the Egyptian coast. On Christmas Day the Brigade took part in the 'affair of the Wadi Medwa' driving back a large force of the Senussi and preventing their advance beyond Matruh. The loss on the British side was 13 killed and 51 wounded, among whom was William Morice, with severe wounds to his left forearm and chest." (Church, p.81)

After being out of action for two and a half months William Morice rejoined his unit. He was transferred to the Western Front in France in April 1917.

In late December 1916 William Morice was wounded again whilst in the Cordonnerie subsector on the River Lys near Armentieres. He received gunshot wounds to his leg and a compound fractured femur. He was immediately evacuated to Brockenhurst England where he died one month later. (Church, p.82) AWMM