LEST WE FORGET

Lieutenant Douglas George MORRISON

Service No: Not Assigned
Born: Kilmore VIC, 1895
Enlisted in the Army: 5 October 1916
Unit: No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
Died: Wounds from Air Operations, France, 29 October 1917, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Grevillers British Cemetery, Grevillers, Picardie, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George Cowie Morrison and Edith Constance Morrison, The State Public Service Commissioner for Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Born at Kilmore, Victoria
Place of Association: Melbourne VIC
Remembered: Panel 188, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

An encounter on October 13th was also unlucky for the Australians.  In the forenoon of that day a patrol of five D.H.5’s was returning from the duty known as “C.O.P.” (close offensive patrol), and was about over Queant at 8,000 feet, when one machine, piloted by Lieutenant D. G. Morrison was observed to be some distance in rear. His fighting partner, Lieutenant R. W. McKenzie, (1) went back to pick him up.  At this moment four fast Albatros scouts approached from the north and pounced upon the straggler.  McKenzie flew straight at the enemy leader and fired a burst into him at long range, but almost immediately developed engine-trouble and had to make for home.  He had no time to observe effect of his fire, but although he was crippled the Germans made no attempt to prevent his escape. The next news heard of Morrison was that he had been shot down by enemy aircraft near Queant, and had fallen in No-Man’s Land wounded in three places.  He was rescued by men of the 13th London Regiment, but died soon afterwards. The Germans shelled his crashed machine (2) to pieces as it lay between the lines.

(1) Lieutenant Robert William McKenzie MC; born Adelaide SA, June 1895
(2) DH5 aircraft A9277

Extract from Cutlack, F.M. (Frederic Morley) The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War 1914-8, Angus and Robertson Ltd Sydney, 1941 – Page 180

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record B2455, MORRISON DOUGLAS GEORGE
National Archives UK RAF Casualty Book AIR 1/968 page 312, 202348

Bibliography:

Bennett, J. (John William) Highest Traditions: the history of No. 2 Squadron RAAF, Australian Government Publishing Service, 1995

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