MORTON, Charles Stuart

Son of Richard & Mary Morton

b. 1889 NZ - d. 1939 NZ

World War I, 1914-1918 Serial No.: 4/17 First Known Rank: Sapper Rank Last Held: Private Occupation before Enlistment: Motorman Next of Kin: Mrs Lucy Florence Morton (wife), 23 Milton Street, Wellington, New Zealand Mrs L F Morton (wife), 13 Newtown Avenue, Wellington, New Zealand Marital Status: Married Enlistment Address: 23 Milton Street, Wellington, New Zealand Military District: Wellington Body on Embarkation: Samoan Advance Party New Zealand Expeditionary Force Embarkation Unit: Railway Engineers 17th Reinforcements Wellington Infantry Battalion, B Company Embarkation Date: 15 August 1914; 27 September 1916 Place of Embarkation: Wellington, New Zealand Vessel: Moeraki or Monowai, Pakeha Destination: Apia, Samoa

Devonport, England

Nominal Roll Footnotes: Ex Samoan Advance

Last Unit Served: Wellington Infantry Regiment

Place of Death: Wellington, New Zealand

Date of Death: 2 May 1939

Age at Death: 49

Cemetery Name: Karori Cemetery, Wellington, New Zealand

Grave Reference: Soldiers, Plot 3 SS

Biographical Notes: Private Morton won a competition on board the Pakeha for a limerick he wrote for the ship's magazine. See "The Pakeha" October 1916, pp.5,15.

Postwar Occupation: Tram Employee

Samoa (1914-15)

Charles first enlisted on 9 August 1914. His last address was 23 Milton Street, Wellington.

He was discharged on 30 March 1915 at his own request.

France (1916-17)

Charles enlisted for the second time on 4 April 1916 at Kilbirnie, Wellington, aged 26 years. He was recorded as being 5', 6" tall with a fair complexion, light brown hair and medium blue eyes. His next of kin was Mrs Lucy Florence Morton (wife), 13 Newtown Avenue, Wellington.

He served a total of 2 years 172 days, of which 1 year 322 days was spent serving overseas. He was discharged on 31 January 1918 as being unfit for active service due to tachycardia (irregular heart beat), not caused by active service but aggravated by it. He also had asthma and complained of shortness of breath.

Source: Military documents; Auckland Cenotaph