Petty Office 1st Class Thomas Henry Morris
Royal Navy, HMS Monmouth, 184392
Lost at sea
Date of Birth: 24th of May 1880
Place of Birth: Bodmin, Cornwall
Date of Death: 1st of November 1914
Buried: Remembered on the headstone LL211 in Teignmouth Old Cemetery and the Plymouth Naval Memorial
Awarded the 1914 Star, The British War Medal and the Victory Medal
Thomas Henry Morris was born on the 24th of May 1880 to parents Thomas Hendy Morris and Matilda Morris nee Richards at Bodmin, Cornwall.
HMS Monmouth
HMS Monmouth, Public DomainHMS Monmouth was the lead ship of her class of 10 armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century, jointly known as the County Cruisers (each being named after a British county).
She was assigned to the 1st Cruiser Squadron of the Channel Fleet upon completion in 1903. She was transferred to the China Station in 1906, and remained there until she returned home in 1913 and was assigned to the reserve Third Fleet.
When World War I began in August 1914, the ship was recommissioned and assigned to the 5th Cruiser Squadron in the Central Atlantic to search for German commerce raiders and protect Allied shipping.
She was detached upon arrival to patrol the Brazilian coast for German ships, and was later ordered to the South Atlantic to join Rear Admiral Christopher Cradock's squadron in their search for the German East Asia Squadron.
He found the German squadron on the 1st of November 1914 off the coast of Chile. The German squadron outnumbered Cradock's force and were individually more powerful.
They sank Cradock's two armoured cruisers in the Battle of Coronel. HMS Monmouth was lost with all hands.
Thomas' wife, Ada Beatrice Morris, was living at 294, Glyn Road, Clapton, N.E. London at the time of his death.
Petty Office 1st Class Thomas Henry Morris
Headstone remembering Thomas Henry Morris, plot LL211
Inscription: In Loving Memory of Richard, the dearly beloved husband of Amanda E. Morris, died at Exminster Oct. 26th 1920. " At Rest".
Also Thomas H. Morris, beloved brother of above, lost on H.M.S. Monmouth Nov. 1st 1914, "They gave their lives for their country". Also Amelia Dorothy, beloved daughter of R and A.E. Morris, died June 11th 1926, aged 20.
