100-year-old service spoon find that led to soldier’s burial
A SOLDIER who more than 100 years ago gave his life to save his officer was finally laid to rest with full military honours yesterday after a farmer made a chance discovery of a spoon engraved with his service number, 5181.
Lance Corporal John Morrison’s remains were found in Cuinchy, near Arras in France, two years ago after a farmer reported the find from the First World War in his field.
The MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) traced L/Cpl Morrison’s family using DNA and contacted his 90-year-old nephew, Dr Ian Morrison, in Dingwall.
Yesterday two of the soldiers greatnieces and one great-nephew – all children of Dr Morrison – attended the burial at Woburn Abbey Cemetery in Cuinchy. Soldiers of the Black Watch 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, carried the coffin, fired the salute and played the bagpipes.
Mrs Eilidh Rennie, a great-niece, said the family was “very grateful” to the JCCC for tracking them down and arranging the burial and to The Black Watch for their role in the ceremony.
L/Cpl Morrison, who was born at Tomintoul, Banffshire, served with 1st Battalion The Black Watch after leaving his job as a gamekeeper to volunteer. He died aged 29 during a fierce battle on Jan 25, 1915, after four enemy mines had been detonated in the notorious Brick-stacks sector of the front.
Three companies of L/Cpl Morrison’s battalion were thrown into the line in a desperate attempt to stabilise the position. His parents received a letter from a comrade describing their son’s last moments: “The attack was fierce and John got a bullet in the leg. Nevertheless, he crawled to the assistance of his officer, also wounded, and was in the act of helping him to remove his pack when he was fatally shot.”
The officer saved, 2nd Lieut Lewis Willett, later wrote to L/Cpl Morrison’s brother: “Some gallant fellow crawled up to me shortly after I was hit, and at- tempted to assist me off with my pack, but owing to the nature of my wound, I was unable to turn my neck sufficiently around to see who it was.
“I heard he was hit, and asked him if it was so. He replied: ‘Yes Sir’; and when I inquired later, I received no reply, but could just touch his hand by reaching back, and found he was dead.”