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Create new list‘At a distance of about six miles from Tientsin the attack was opened and a heavy fire returned by the enemy. From this point the Russians made the railway station their objective and I was ordered by the Russian General in command to diverge, and in conjunction with the Naval Brigade and American Marines, attack the Military School. For about five miles the force fought its way under a very heavy rifle fire; many villages were rushed and taken at the point of the bayonet. The Military School was not strongly held, and was easily cleared of the enemy, who retreated out of it, leaving 25 killed and wounded. This School was the enemy’s strongest position holding the European settlement, the relief of which was effected at 1 p.m., the inhabitants pouring out of their entrenchments to greet our soldiers and sailors as they crossed the river. I wish to testify to the great steadiness of my force under a very heavy fire and the heroic manner in which the various villages were assaulted and the enemy driven out … ’
Major F. Morris’s despatch, dated at Tientsin, 24 June 1900, refers.
The Burma, India and China campaign pair awarded to Major F. Morris, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who held temporary command of the North China Field Force at the taking of Tientsin in June 1900, in which operations he was slightly wounded
India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, Burma 1885-7, Hazara 1891 (Captn. F. Morris, 1st Bn. R.W. Fus.); China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (Major F. Morris, R. Welsh Fus.), generally good very fine (2) £1000-1200
This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to Welsh Regiments formed by the Late Llewellyn Lord.
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Frederick Morris was born in France in December 1854, the eldest son of Fredrick Morris, R.N., by his wife, Agnes, the daughter and heir of Charles Brandford Lane of Castle Grant and Clermont, Barbados. His father was the third son of Sir John Morris, 2nd Baronet of Clasemont, Glamorganshire.
Appointed a Lieutenant in the 1st Warwickshire Militia in November 1872, young Frederick gained a regular commission in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in in December 1874 and was advanced to Captain in July 1884. He subsequently witnessed active service with the 1st Battalion in the Burma operations of 1885-87 and in the Hazara Expedition of 1891 (Medal & 2 clasps). During the former operations, in February 1886, he commanded a patrol ‘despatched to scour the country south of Shwebo … this force destroyed several fortified villages and stockades and, with the exception of a few slight skirmishes, meeting with no resistance, returned to Shwebo.’
Advanced to Major in July 1891, and having served in the occupation of Crete 1897-98, Morris was embarked with the 2nd Battalion for China, where, prior to the arrival of Colonel Dorward, he acted as C.O. of the North China Field Force. It was in this capacity that he commanded ‘A’, ‘C’ and ‘E’ Companies of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at the relief of Tientsin in June 1900 (Medal & clasp), in which operations, according to regimental sources, he was slightly wounded; another source states that he was badly injured when the Battalion’s train was derailed then landing at Taku. Either way, he was invalided home and placed on the Retired List in early 1901.
A recipient of the American Military Order of the Dragon, Morris took up the post of Secretary, The Club of Western India at Poona. He died in January 1915; sold with copied research.
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