Trafford

Born on the 17th May 1921 at Dunham Massey, Cheshire, the birth being
registered during the June quarter 1921 in the Bucklow R.D. - ref: 8a/327,
the youngest of 6 children, born to Edmund David and Sarah Ellen Morris
(nee Collins), of "Agden View", Dunham Woodhouses, Cheshire.

1921 Census - "Agden View", Dunham Woodhouses, 2 doors along from the Post
Office.    John Morris - Son - aged: 1 month - born: Dunham Massey.   Head
of household - Edmund David Morris - Married - aged: 47 - occ: Joiner at
the Mobberley Potteries, Mobberley, Cheshire - born: Meifod,
Montgomeryshire..   Also - Sarah Ellen Morris - Wife - aged: 40 - occ: Home
Duties - born: Dunham Massey.  Plus 5 older siblings, all born at Dunham
Massey.

John attended Seamon's Moss school in Oldfield Brow, before taking
employment at H Cowsill, on Old Market Place, Altrincham.

1939 National Registration - ."Agden View", Woodhouse Lane, Warburton,
Cheshire.   Son - born on the 17th May 1921 - occ: Bookkeeping at
Engineering Works.   Head of household - Edmund David Morris - Married -
born on the 13th February 1874 - occ: Joiner.  Also - Sarah Ellen Morris -
Wife - born on the 24th July 1880 - occ: Unpaid Domestic Duties.   Plus 2
elder brothers and 1 redacted record. which was probably John's niece or
nephew?

He had a sweetheart named Elsie.

I am most grateful to Geoff Morris for most of the following information.

He was a member of the local Home Guard until he joined the Royal
Artillery, enlisting as a Gunner in the 2nd Maritime Regiment, Royal
Artillery, escorting cargo ships.     A Light Ack Ack Gunner, (40 mm
Bofors), he was mentioned in despatches for "Distinguished conduct in the
presence of the enemy at sea". 

In February 1944 he was serving on SS Ascot which left Colombo bound for
Mauritius, due to join a convoy at Diego Suarez in Madagascar because there
was a fair amount of submarine activity in that area.  Shortly after midday
on the 29th February, east of the Seychelles, a torpedo hit the ship on the
Starboard side in the engine room.  The ship developed an immediate list to
port.
 A short while afterwards the submarine  I-37 (Lt. Cmdr. Nakakgawa)
surfaced.  There was a light calibre machine gun on the tower as well as a
light machine gun.  Some of the SS Ascot crew thought it time to go over
the side and did so.  The I-37 machine gunned the two life boats and the
raft as well as anyone in the water for a considerable period.  Several
people drifted away possibly shot but more probably exhausted.  Nakagawa
then turned his attention to the ship and shelled it setting her on fire
though she remained afloat.  However the I-37 returned and shot with
machine guns, rifles and pistols for another long session.  It used its
screws to try to wash SS Ascot crew off the life boats and raft and also
tried to ram one or more of the boats but after a couple of hours or so
Nakagawa either thought he had killed all or decided he had spent long
enough and left.  The ship sank after dark.
There were only 8 survivors. 

His death was reported in the 31/03/1944medition of the Sale & Stretford
Guardian.

His is commemorated on the St. Mark's P.C. Memorial at Dunham Massey and
and on Panel 88, column 3, on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Southsea
Common, Hampshire.