100 Days of Heroes: Letter honours lost mate Harry Morey after his death in France

“Dear Mrs Morey, I am writing to tell you about your son, Harry, and how I wish I did not have to write this letter.”

Lance Corporal Harry Havelock Morey is remembered at tree 105 on the Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue.

In the Field, 17/9/1918.

Dear Mrs Morey, I am writing to tell you about your son, Harry, and how I wish I did not have to write this letter.

First of all, please accept my deepest sympathy in your loss of such a fine manly son. Harry and I were the best of pals for about two and a half years.

We went into action together for the first time, and we hung together very close from then on. He was killed alongside of me, and it was a great shock to me. Death was instantaneous; and right up to the last he showed great courage and cheerfulness.

He was a man who was always cheerful, and was the most popular man in our unit.

Yesterday Private Frank Edmondson, Driver Hugh Kane, Sergt. Owen Jones, three of Harry’s pals, and I, erected a nice cross to his grave, and I made a border of white stones round it, and also a little cross of white stones on tho top of the grave.

You will find enclosed the army commander’s congratulations to Harry for his gallantry in action.

With very best wishes for the future. (signed) Lance-Corporal Harry Bowden.

Lance Corporal Harry Morey’s plaque on the Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue.

Harry Morey was born at New Norfolk in 1886. His father had a drapers shop in the town and his mother was a member of the well-known Shone family of Magra.

He was 29 and working as a draper’s assistant when he enlisted to serve with the 1st Australian General Hospital Convalescent Depot in June 1915.

His father Arthur was dead by this time and his mother Eliza was living at 41 High St (now Tasma St) in North Hobart.

Harry prepared his last will and testament before shipping out, naming his brother Arthur — an orchardist at New Norfolk — as his executor.

By the middle of 1916 he was with the 14th Field Ambulance in France, where he performed acts of bravery that would earn him the Military Medal.

In November 1916 he was made a lance corporal and in February 1917 he was admitted to hospital in Rouen with an accidental injury to his back. An inquiry later determined the injury was sustained in the performance of his duty and he was not to blame.

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Lance Corporal Morey’s grave in the Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Picture: A. HOWARD AND K. BLACK

Harry was killed in action on September 1, 1918 and buried in an isolated grave where he fell. His remains were later moved to the Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension.

In March 1919 it was announced that King George V had approved the awarding of the Military Medal for Harry’s bravery in the field.

Near Albert, France, on the night of July 28-29, 1916, Harry had fearlessly directed and led his stretcher-bearers in the evacuation of wounded men under heavy shellfire and over broken ground for many hours.

With a cheerful approach and total disregard for his personal safety he had set a splendid example to his men.

On hearing that a man was lying wounded several hundred metres from the aid post, he went searching for the soldier although the shelling was very heavy at the time.

After a prolonged search he found the man and rendered urgent medical attention before returning to his post, collecting his squad, and heading out gain to bring in the wounded man.

Lance Corporal Harry Havelock Morey is remembered at tree 105 on the Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue and on the honour boards at the Hobart Town Hall.

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