Capt WG Morritt 1 E Surrey Regt died in Germany

[Guest Pete Wood]

I've just finished bashing out my share of Michael's Prisoner Of War index.

One of the soldiers has me interested, as the notes say a little more than 'was in hospital' or 'attempted escape.'

The soldier I am interested in is:

Name: MORRITT

Initials: W G

Name: William Graveley

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Captain

Regiment: East Surrey Regiment

Unit Text: 1st Bn.

Age: 24

Date of Death: 27/06/1917

Additional information: Son of the late William Graveley Morritt, of "Beechwood," Ryde, Isle of Wight, and of Alice L. Morritt.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: II. H. 1.

Cemetery: HAMBURG CEMETERY

SDGW says he was 'Killed.'

The PoW index says he was at Schwarmstedt camp, when he lost his life.

Ref: O. 720, 917; M.O. 198-9

Does anyone have any more info.....??

[Alan Seymour]

Page 65 of the List of British Officers taken prisoner in various Theatres of War between August 1914, and November,1918 has the following information:

East Surrey Regt. 1st and 2nd Battalion, Lieut. W. G. Morritt, Missing 10/4/14 (Killed while escaping 27/6/17)

[Guest Pete Wood]

Very strange. I had a feeling this would be interesting.

The index info I have just typed out says he was murdered; doesn't say by whom (British/German).

Here are the PoW references: Ref: O. 720, 917; M.O. 198-9

Anyone at the PRO want to have a look in his file....??

[Guest Mardie]

Capt William G Morritt was my great uncle. I have copies of letters he wrote whilst a pow this includes how he was shot at the battle of Mons. We also have letters written by his friends who tell how he was shot whilst trying to escape [apparently for the umpteeth time] including a sketch of the location of the fencing etc.

What would you like to know? In one letter a friend wrote to my Gt Grandmother calling his death 'murder'. He was shot at close range, about 7 yards, so I can well believe that his fellow officers regarded this as murder. There was a question of it being investigated at the end of the war but probably it was regarded as a minor matter not involving personell or maybe the evidence was scarce, and so the allies did not persue this and it was dropped. The original letters now belong to my Aunt and they make facinating reading.

A Caunter in his book '13 Days' was a fellow pow in two camps with Uncle Bill. He escaped a week before Uncle Bills last and fatal attempt from Schwarmstadt. It gives a great feel of the places.

Let me know what more you would like to know.

Mardie

[bootneck]

Mardie

I have just come across this thread and I was wondering if some of the letters you mention are the same or copies of those in folder of letters from Captain Morritt to his mother now held at the Surrey History Centre under their reference ESR/25/MORRWG/1.

regards

Bootneck