A Superb Great War ‘Hart's Crater'
MILITARY CROSS "Casualty" group of four.

To:
2/Lt WILLIAM RICH MORGAN, 1st South Wales Borderers.
For the action at Hart’s Crater, where on 19th February 1916 he went out alone to rescue a wounded man whilst under machine gun and bomb fire.

He was subsequently KILLED IN ACTION, 2nd April 1916

[BIOGRAPHY]
William Rich Morgan was born in 1892 in the Parish of Abercarn, Monmouthshire. Employed as a clerk at the Celynen Colliery, he was known as an athlete and played football for Abercarn Football Club under the captaincy of his brother, T. W. Morgan. With the outbreak of war he attested for service in the R.A.M.C. on 5 September 1914, aged 22 years, 4 months. After attaining the rank of Sergeant, in May 1915 he was discharged to a commission in the 9th Battalion South Wales Borderers.

[THE MEDALS]
Military Cross, G.V.R. Unnamed as issued;
1914-15 Star: 2 Lieut. W. R. MORGAN. S. Wales Bord.
British War and Victory Medals: 2 Lieut. W. R. MORGAN.
All medals are practically Mint State.

[CITATION]
Military Cross: London Gazette 30 March 1916.
(Temporary 2/Lt, 9th Battalion (attached 1st) The South Wales Borderers).

"For conspicuous gallantry. He went out alone and brought in a badly wounded man under machine gun and bomb fire. He was hit three times by unexploded bombs"

(Note: Several men who carried out similar brave deeds during WW1 received the Victoria Cross for their valour.)

[HISTORY]
Attached to the 1st Battalion, he entered France on 26 November 1915, joining the battalion at the front on the Loos Salient on the 29th. Lt. Morgan, who was the battalion bombing officer, won his M.C. rescuing a wounded man under heavy fire during the assault on Hart’s Crater, 19 February 1916. Apparently, the Germans threw several stick grenades at him which bounced off and failed to explode !!!

He was notified of the award on 7 March and presented with the ribbon by the G.O.C. on the 9th. Lieutenant Morgan was killed in action just three weeks later on 2 April 1916, aged 23.

The position occupied by the 1st Battalion was subject to enemy artillery fire from especially heavy howitzers firing high explosive shells with delayed action fuses which had a burrowing effect. One such heavy shell caught “D” Company’s Headquarters in a dug-out at the side of the quarry near Hart’s Crater and killed most of the occupants.

One of those killed was Lieutenant Morgan, the war diary stating that he "was killed by being buried in a dug-out"

The group includes an original newspaper clipping (Western Mail, 11 April 1916) announcing the death of 2/Lt Morgan with an obituary and photograph. (oddly by Mr Jerome of Southport). Copied service papers, other research papers and two named card boxes of issue for the trio complete the assembly.

2nd Lieutenant W. R. Morgan was the son of John Morgan of Islwyn Street, Abercarn. He is buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Loos, France.









A VERY DESIRABLE CASUALTY GALLANTRY GROUP.

TO THE GREATLY SOUGHT AFTER SOUTH WALES BORDERERS.

£2995 with part exchanges welcome