M.387 First Officer  Cyril Walter Morris
 flag england b. 30 Apr 1912, Mansfield  6 May 1941 to 17 Sep 1942

   RAeC 1937

  ATA    

 

Ed. Central School, Coventry

m.  Jan 1936 Lorna Grace [Hill], of Coventry House, Dunton Bassett, Rugby; 1 daughter Josephine b. Q3 1936

prev. a Builder and Contractor; Sergeant in RAF, 2 Nov 1939 - 4 Apr 1941

prev. exp 151 hrs on Leopard Moth, Swallow, Avro Tutor, Chilton, Taylorcraft & Cub

Address in 1941: 240 ~Walsgrave Rd, Stoke, Coventry


 Postings: 6FPP, 3FPP

"This officer gives occasional trouble on questions of general discipline and behaviour, both on and off duty.... he is very sure of himself ... very cocksure and self-opinionated"

"Quite a capable pilot"

5 Accidents, only one deemed to be his fault:

- 11 Dec 1941, his Hurricane IIb AP594 sank so deeply into unmarked piece of soft ground that it nosed over, 'in spite of men on tail', damaging the propeller

- 13 Mar 1942, in another Hurricane, N2666 the gun compartment cowling came loose in flight

- 3 Apr 1942, he taxied his Anson into some barbed wire due to 'bad cornering in difficult conditions, and with a stiff tailwheel pivot'

13 Jul 1942, the port undercarriage leg of his Beaufighter IV EL241 collapsed on landing, and


Spitfire VB 92 Sqn top view c1941

d. 17 Sep 1942 when he lost control in cloud (which was 10/10ths at 1,000ft) and his Spitfire Vb EP893 dived into the ground at Saighton, nr Chester, shortly after take-off from Hawarden

 

Buried St Michaels Cemetery, Stoke, Coventry

   
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
WALTER MORRIS
MARCH 19TH 1961, AGED 74 YEARS
ALSO OF HIS WIFE
BERTHA EUGENIA
MAY 12TH 1961, AGED 75 YEARS
REUNITED

CYRIL WALTER MORRIS
FIRST OFFICER
AIR TRANSPORT AUXILIARY
IN PROUD AND LOVING MEMORY OF
A BELOVED HUSBAND AND DADDY.
KILLED SEPT. 17TH 1942.
HIS ONLY THOUGHT WAS TO SERVE


"To: Commanding Officer, ATA,

I am writing to thank you most sincerely for your letter expressing your personal sympathy in my sad loss and for all the kindness you have shown & the help you have given me.

Our small daughter is a great comfort to me & I trust she too will one day be proud to know that you held him in such high esteem as a pilot, & that he died serving his country.

Yours Sincerely, Lorna G Morris"


 

 Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

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