Benjamin Morris

Title

Private

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military Record

Forenames

Benjamin AWMM

Surname

Morris AWMM

Also known as

Ben Morris

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military Record

Service number

WWI 19399 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe

Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM

Religion

Church of England

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military Record

Date of birth

1 March 21895

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military Record

Place of birth

Te Karaka

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military Record

Birth notes

son of William Morris of Te Karaka

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military Record

Address before enlistment

Te Karaka, Gisborne

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military Record

Next of kin

William Morris (father), Gisborne, New Zealand AWMM

Relationship status

single

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military Record

War

World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Campaign

Western European

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military Record

Armed force / branch

• Army AWMM
• NZ Maori Pioneer Battalion 15th Reinforcements
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military Record

Service number

WWI 19399 AWMM

Military service

1916-1918

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military Record

Enlistment

• WW1 Unknown AWMM Labourer/Civilian AWMM
• 25 August 1916 at Narrow Neck Camp, Takapuna, Auckland
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military record

Age on enlistment

21 yrs 5 mths

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Military record

Embarkation details

WW1 19 Jan 1917-27 Mar 1917 AWMM
HMNZT 75 AWMM Vessel was Waitemata AWMM Private AWMM 13th Reinforcements AWMM Maori Contingent AWMM

Medical notes

Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Last rank

WW1 Private AWMM
New Zealand (Maori) Pioneer Battalion AWMM

Benjamin Morris was the son of William and Catherine Morris, of Te Karaka, Gisborne, New Zealand.

Next of Kin: Mr W. Morris, Te Karaka, Gisborne (Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914-1918 (Volume 2)) AWMM

Death

22 Aug 1918 AWMM
Age  23 AWMM

Cause of death

Killed in Action AWMM

Cemetery

Hebuterne Military Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France AWMM I. L. 1. AWMM

Obituary

Mr. W. Morris, of Te Karaka, received intimation yesterday that nis son Private Benjamin Morris, had been killed in action. Private Morris. who received his New Zealand training at the Narrow Neck camp, left for the front two and a half years ago and was wounded some time ago, but recovered and went hack to the firing line. The deceased soldier was 23 years of age. The eldest son of Mr. Morris was wounded about nine months ago, and after being in Brockenhurst hospital, was invalided to Now Zealand Another son, Dick, is still at the front.

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 29 May 2023 - GISBORNE TIMES, VOLUME XLIX, ISSUE 4967, 6 SEPTEMBER 1918, PAGE 5

Memorial name

Gisborne's & Te Karaka's War Memorials

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 21 July 2015 - Research

Memorial name

• Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM
• Te Karaka War Memorial, corner of Main and Station Roads, Te Karaka, Gisborne AWMM

Related objects

External links

• Military personnel file
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R21377460
  Further Reference
• New Zealand Electronic Text Collection topic page
  http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/name-130691.html
  Further Reference
• A Street Near You record
  https://astreetnearyou.org/person/322586/-
  Further Reference
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
  https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/322586
  Further Reference
• Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War. Auckland, N.Z.: Maori Regimental Committee by Whitcombe & Tombs.
  https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20201108000000/https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-CowMaor.html
  Further Reference
• New Zealand War Graves Trust
  https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/
  Further Reference

References

• New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1918). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume III. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
  52: 37
• Soutar, M. (2019). Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E!: Maori In the First World War. New Zealand: David Bateman Ltd.
• Information kindly provided by family
• Roll of Honour, Auckland Province (digital copy), 1914 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2016-2.
• Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War. Auckland, N.Z.: Maori Regimental Committee by Whitcombe & Tombs.
• Pugsley, C. (1995). Te Hokowhitu a Tu : the Maori Pioneer Battalion in the first World War. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed.
• Waitemata wobbler : N.Z. Exped. Forces, XXI Reinforcement. De La Mare, Frederick Archibald, 1877-, editor. Rowland, A.E.M. (Albert Edward MacKay), editor. Harris, E.W. (Edwin Walter), editor. -- [On board ship] : [Magazine Committee] Printed by Cape Times Ltd. : [1917].