Private Archibald Thomas Morgan

Archibald Thomas Morgan was born on the 27th of December 1895 at Euroa, Victoria, Australia, the eldest son of Thomas Fitzherbert Morgan 2nd and Sarah nee McNay.  He was the first cousin of my maternal grandmother, Daisy Fleming nee Morgan.

photo fom the book of the Morgan Family Reunion at Euroa 1st of November 1980.

Archie enlisted at Seymour into the 7th Battalion A.I.F, C Company regimental number 370, on the 18th of August 1914, stating that he was 19 years of age and his occupation was Bootmaker having done a two year apprenticeship with S. John & Co of Euroa.

A member of the citizens forces and senior cadets, H Coy Euroa 58th, Archie was five foot seven inches high, weighed ten stone 7 pounds with a chest measurement of thirty two – thirty four and a half inches.  Fair complexion with grey eyes and fair auburn hair.  His mother, Mrs S Morgan, was named next of kin and religious denomination was Presbyterian.

His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A20 Hororata on 19 October 1914.

HMAT Hororata at Port Melbourne April 1915 (AWM PB0438)

Archies service in that war was cut short when on about the 25th of April 1915 at Dardanelles, he received a gun shot wound to the right leg and shrapnel to the left cheek.  There are varying entries about his shrapnel wounds, some state cheek and some state chest.  Further records do confirm chest wound.

Another page of his service records state “bullet wound in chest”

Admitted to the first Australian general hospital at Heliopsis, Cairo on the 29th of April the leg had turned septic and he underwent three operations on his leg to drain pockets of pus.   On the 6th of July the officer in charge of the hospital signed a form saying Archie was to be discharged as permanently unfit.

On the 15th of August 1915, he was “struck off strength” and embarked back to Australia from Suez on the Themistocles.

A report from the Alfred hospital in October stated that his leg wound was still discharging considerably and in their opinion his capacity for earning a livelihood was totally impaired.

In October 1915 the opinion of the medical board also stated “The Board concurs that he has a bullet wound below the knee and the whole limb has been septic and there are now two discharging wounds. The knee was flexed and fixed but is now being straightened.  Disability is permanent and has totally lessened his capacity for earning a full livelihood.  Treatment is needed for at least six months.”

in collection of the Farmer’s Arms Hotel museum at Euroa

Archie and his father Thomas were members of the Euroa Lodge of the united ancient order of Druids.  In January 1918 the Secretary Mr. EGallagher wrote to the Base records office in Victoria asking for evidence of Archie’s medical treatment.

“Sir, can you furnish me with evidence of No. 370 Pte A. T. Morgan 7th Battalion B Coy being under medical treatment in the Alfred and Base hospitals Heliopsis and Mont Park from 9th Sept 1915 to 19th Sept 1917, in consequence of wounds received at Gallipoli in May 1915.  He informs me that he had repeatedly requested medical certificates from doctors and matrons but owing to doctors and matrons being busy at time of such requests the matter was held over and eventually overlooked”.

He eventually went back to his trade as a bootmaker in Euroa and in 1917 married Florence Mary Brooks.  They had four daughters.

Archibald Thomas Morgan died on the 27th of August 1978.

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• Posted in: Anzac ♦ Family History ♦ World War 1
• Tagged: Euroa, Morgan, WW1