WW1 NZEF Trio Medals, Service Cert, Photo, Otago M.R Gallipoli Hill 60 - T G Morrison
Description
1914/15 Star, British war medal & Victory medal correctly impressed to ; 9/1074 Tpr T G Morrison. Neatly mounted on WW1 Service certificate with photo of Trooper Morrison to bottom right. Display undoctored since mounting c1920's as per fashion ( note 14/15 star has ribbon wrong way around). Born in Mosgiel 1884, Morrison was 31 at time of enlistment (1915). Quite a tall man for the period, standing at just under 6ft. Sailing with the 5th reinforcements, trooper Morrison would have landed on the Gallipoli penisula as a Otago Mounted Rifles reinforcement on the 8/8/15. Almost certainly he would have taken part in the disastrous attack on Hill 60 on 21/8/15, where the attacking force, of less than 200 OMR's, over 60% were killed or wounded. Evacuated off ANZAC on 5/10/15 for an anti social disease, Morrison was back in the line on 13/11/15, a month before the peninsula was evacuated. Again hospitalised (27/1/16) for same ailment, Morrison was returned to NZ & discharged from the army in 8/2/16 as "No longer physically fit for war service on account of his illness" “. On civvie street , post war, Morrison proved no angel with a raft of criminal charges. Convicted of indecency 3/4/18, convicted of theft 14/8/18, acquited of robbery with violence 3/8/20, convicted of theft 13/8/21. Morrison died in 1934. Given at his age of 31 at time of enlistment and having had a "clean slate" one can only reflect on the effect the ravages of Gallipoli had on his later life. It should be remembered this man volunteered to serve King & Country. Medals NEF. Certificate with some silver fishing as per photo & photo of Morrison with some damage.
