Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

‘We had great assistance from our Troop Sergeant - Sergeant Eric Morrall, or “Mush” as he was better known - who was a tower of strength in every respect. A big tough forceful personality with a great sense of humour and a huge laugh to match his size. He looked every inch a regular soldier but in fact he was only a “duration slogger” like so many of us. He had long experience with the Squadron and always commanded respect from both officers and men for his capability and courage.’
The Shiny Fourth, by Captain Robert Warren, M.C., refers.

A particularly fine and well-documented Second World War Desert Rat’s M.M., post-war B.E.M. group of seven awarded to Troop Sergeant E. A. Morrall, Royal Engineers, who was decorated for his gallant deeds with “The Shiny Fourth” Field Squadron in Belgium and Germany in 1944-45, just one chapter in a period of protracted active service that also encompassed evasion and work behind enemy lines in “Jock Campbell Columns” in the Western Desert - a story vividly described in his hitherto unpublished wartime memoirs
Military Medal, G.VI.R. (1879612 Sjt. E. A. Morrall, R.E.); British Empire Medal, (Civil) E.II.R. (Eric Aylmore Morrall); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal, M.I.D.oak leaf, together with Siege of Tobruk 1941 commemorative, presentation award from the City of Wetteren, and his “Desert Rats” shoulder flash, lacquered, very fine and better (10) £2500-3000

M.M. London Gazette 24 January 1946. The original recommendation states:

‘Sergeant Morrall has served throughout the campaign in North-West Europe as a Troop Sergeant and has done outstanding and gallant service. Steady and resourceful in Troop administration, for which he has been responsible, he has in addition given an example of cheerfulness, gallantry and steadfast leadership under fire which has been an inspiration to all.

At Wetteren on 6 September 1944, his troop bore the brunt of an attack by heavy enemy forces on a bridge which the Squadron was defending. He carried up ammunition and rallied a section disorganised by the enemy, himself leading it with a Bren gun and throughout contributed more than any other individual to the successful repulse of the attack with comparatively very heavy casualties to the enemy.

At Gebroek on 12 January 1945, he led the sapper party laying a scissors bridge in the preliminary phase of the attack on Bakenhoven. The next night an attempt was made to bull dose a crossing nearer to Bakenhoven but the party was prevented by enemy S.A. and artillery fire. The danger of this had not passed, and made silent work essential when Sergeant Morrall later led out a small party. He worked up to his waist in icy water for as long as this could be endured and almost completed the crossing, constantly directing relays of men.

On 16 April 1945, his troop was in support of 8th Hussars in the vigorous advance to Doremark, by passing Fallingbostel. This involved many minor sapper tasks and an exposed centre line through country still occupied by bands of enemy troops. Twice during the night Sergeant Morrall made this journey in his jeep, once with rations and at first light to take up an assault bridge. On each occasion enemy troops were encountered. Once, when engaged by a party of five men with small arm s, he, the driver, and one other sapper returned their fire and killed two.

This N.C.O. stands out from all others in the Squadron for sound judgement, skill in the many sapper tasks with which he has been concerned and steadiness under fire. He is held in respect and affection alike by officers and men.’

B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1966.

Eric Aylmore “Mush” Morrall was born in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, in February 1920, where he was working as an apprentice fitter on the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939. Enlisting in the Royal Engineers in the following month, he was posted to a training unit at Napier Barracks, Shorncliffe and thence, in early 1940, to Chatham, where he joined I Troop, 4th Field Squadron, R.E., before long to be nicknamed “The Shiny Fourth” on account of the number of decorations won by its personnel.

North Africa and Italy

And it was in this capacity that he was embarked for the Middle East in October of the same year, where he was quickly advanced to Lance-Corporal and joined the 7th Armoured Division. Going into action in Libya in early 1941. And, as verified by accompanying documentation, he served behind enemy lines in “Jock Campbell Columns” in addition to other daring reconnaissance work and membership of “Duke Force”, a fast and mobile sapper unit that went into action with forward tank units, destroying captured enemy guns and armour; so, too, making safe countless mines.

Whether engaged at Sidi Rezegh or El Alamein, or in the final advance on Tunis - where ‘I was hit in the neck by a sniper’s bullet’ - Morrall was indeed the ‘big tough forceful personality’ described by Captain Robert Warren. M.C., and, as described below, won his first “mention” for evading capture early in the campaign:

‘Whilst operating in No-Man’s Land, between the 8th Army at El Agheila and the enemy at Marble Arch in April 1941, our section leader, Corporal Bill Noyce, was attacked and wounded by a German patrol, losing his right arm and being taken prisoner with his armoured car driver.

With my half section of five Sappers in our 15 cwt. truck, we made for the sand dunes and there we hid from the enemy during daylight. Later, that night, I blew up and destroyed the vital water well, as per my instructions, then with the cover of darkness and the aid of the stars for navigation, we eventually reached our own lines. There we were told to head for Fort Mechili, where we could rejoin our unit, the 4th Field Squadron, after some 200 miles of open desert to the north-east.

At Mechili, we found remnants of our unit with our H.Q. in a mass of disarray with other units, only to be informed that the Senior Officer has surrendered to the enemy. Then to our delight we heard over the radio that the Port of Tobruk, about 80 miles to the north east, was now under siege and holding out.

This time several dozen vehicles, of all types, mostly from the 4th, joined in the dash for Tobruk. Many were hit by enemy tank and small arms fire and didn't make it. A few Sappers - this was our second escape in just over a week - made it. But on reaching Tobruk we soon found out we were not on holiday ... I understand that an officer of the unit who was taken P.O.W. during this adventure submitted a report for my mention in despatches on being released from captivity.’

“The Shiny Fourth” next went into action in the Italian campaign, landing at Salerno in September 1943, and took part in the capture of Naples in addition to carrying out valuable Bailey bridge work over the river Volturno. The, on reaching the river Garigliano, the unit was withdrawn to the U.K., arriving in Scotland in early 1944.

North-West Europe


By now a Troop Sergeant, Morrall landed in Normandy in June 1944, the commencement of another chapter of heavy fighting, the salient points of which are cited in the above recommendation - though his own extensive account of the action at Wetteren, which appears in Desert Rats at War, by George Forty, is a particularly good one; so, too, his account of how he re-visited Wetteren in the 1970s, the first of many annual pilgrimages.

But returning to his time in North-West Europe, and by way of illustrating the multitude of sources available, the following extract from the memoirs of an officer of “The Shiny Fourth” is not without interest:

‘Whilst we were in Hademarschen, another incident occurred that further cultivated our dislike for Germans. There had been some sort of concentration camp nearby and in a shed in the village we found the bodies of a few Russians who had died in this camp. I suppose there were only seven or eight here, one of them being a woman, but their bodies were shrunken through famine and I believe had onlu just died - or possibly been exterminated.

One of the Sappers found them and a quite spontaneous anger arose. A few of the N.C.Os got together and with the O.C’s permission, they made all the inhabitants of the village turn out and see for themselves the horrors that their kinsmen had done. All the people were made to pass slowly in front of the bodies and Corporal Milligan, who could speak fluent German, told them that this was just a sample of the savagery and horror that the German nation had caused. The truth slowly dawned on these simple country folk and they were truly disturbed - but many of them must have known what had been going on. We also brought several German officers who were in the town to view the bodies - one of them had his mistress with him, but she never moved a muscle or showed any sign of remorse.

Sergeant Morrall made these officers line up afterwards and salute the Ensign which flew outside Squadron H.Q. - kicking one particularly stubborn German until he saluted. No doubt this was strictly against the rules of the Geneva Convention, but as officers we looked the other way. We had the civilians provide a proper burial for the Russians and ordered the whole village to attend the funeral.’

In addition to his M.M., Morrall was twice mentioned in despatches, the latter appearing in the same Gazette and one of them in respect of his earlier gallantry in North Africa - based on evidence of a returning P.O.W. officer (London Gazette 8 November 1945). He was demobilised in early 1946.

Post-war, Morrall was employed by the Forestry Commission on the Isle of Wight and as an M.O.D. civilian the Military Engineering Experimental Establishment (M.E.X.E.) at Christchurch, which latter appointment gained him his B.E.M., a distinction he received from the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire at a ceremony held in May 1966. He died in 2001, aged 81 years.

To be sold with the following archive and artefacts:

(i) A pair of files containing the recipient’s hand written memoirs and a related typescript, together with a fine array of wartime photographs (approximately 45 images).

(ii) Buckingham Palace forwarding letters for his M.M. and B.E.M., together with his M.I.D. certificate.

(iii) A fine series of testimonials from ex-officers, and a typescript proof copy of The Shiny Fourth by Captain Robert Warren, M.C., in which Morrall receives frequent mention, with annotations, in two bound green volumes.

(iv) Wartime copies of Allied Force’s H.Q. (Engineering Section) How to Clear Mines and Booby Traps (3rd edition, June 1943 - ‘This Document Must Not Fall Into Enemy Hands’), with ink inscription to front cover, ‘Sgt. Morrall, E. A.’, and a similar pamphlet of February 1943, also inscribed to Morrall; the Soldier’s Word and Phrase Book - English, French and German, with pencilled notes by the recipient, including phrase for ‘Shut Your Trap!’; and a copy of The Manual of Engineering, Vol. II (Royal Engineers, 1936), inscribed in ink ‘Sgt. E. A. Morrall, 1st Troop’.

(v) A large quantity of books, pamphlets and newspapers, mainly of 1939-45 War interest, among them Royal Engineers Battlefield Tour, Volumes I & II (The Seine to the Rhine) and Bridging Normandy to Berlin (July, 1945), as presented to the recipient by Sir Donald Bailey, the inventor of the Bailey Bridge, at M.E.X.E. Christchurch, but also including a War Record of the 1/4th Battalion, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry 1914-18, and The Kent Scouts’ Song Book (March 1926), with several related photographs from the recipient’s time therein.

(vi) The recipient’s illuminated scroll for Honorary Citizenship of Wetteren, dated 7 November 1996, framed and glazed, with translation; a souvenir booklet from the occasion of his visit to Wetteren in 1994, with numerous signatures, and a several files containing a very large quantity of post-war certificates, reunion correspondence, memorabilia and photographs, together with a video cassette recording, titled “Wetteren / Eric Morrall / 11 Nov. 1984”.

(vii) The recipient’s British Royal Legion ‘30 Years’ Service Medal, gilt and enamel, cased, with related forwarding letter, dated 11 January 2001, and assorted R.E. buttons, badges and blazer patches, together with his beret and regimental ties.

(viii) The Defence and War Medals awarded to his wife, W. J. “Jenny” Morrall, who served as a Corporal in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, together with a portrait photograph of her in uniform.