Stanley Morse – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Howe Battalion
Able Seaman Stanley Morse – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Howe Battalion
Early Life and Family
Stanley Morse was born in 1899 in Swansea, the son of
Lewis Morse and Sarah Jane Williams. He grew up in a large
working‑class household in the centre of Swansea, where his father worked in
the heavy industries that supported the town’s maritime and shipbuilding
economy.
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| 1901 Census |
The 1901 Census records the family living at 6 John Street, Swansea. Lewis, aged 44, was employed as a Boiler Maker, while Sarah Jane, aged 39, was at home caring for their children. The household included William M. (17), Susanna (15), Margaret (13), Irene (9), Ethel (4), and Stanley, then two years old. Their home reflected the close‑knit, industrious character of Swansea’s inner‑town neighbourhoods at the turn of the century.
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| 1911 Census |
A decade later, the 1911 Census shows the family still residing at 6 John Street. Lewis, now 56, was working as a Ship Rivetter, and Sarah Jane, aged 49, continued to manage the household. Several of the older children were now in employment: William Morgan (27) was a Plasterer, Margaret (23) worked as a Domestic Servant, and Irene May (19) was a Dressmaker. Younger children Ethel (14), Stanley (12), Katherine (7), and Doris (5) were also living at home, forming a large and active family typical of early‑20th‑century Swansea.
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and the Howe Battalion
Stanley later enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer
Reserve (RNVR), a force formed in 1903 from civilian volunteers who trained
part‑time for naval service. When the First World War began, the Admiralty
created the Royal Naval Division (RND) to make use of the many trained
reservists who could not be placed at sea. The Division fought as infantry on
land, and its battalions were named after famous admirals—Howe, Hood,
Nelson, Collingwood, Anson, Hawke, and Drake—reflecting their naval
heritage despite their role in the trenches.
The Howe Battalion, to which Stanley belonged, served
in several major campaigns, including Antwerp, Gallipoli, the Somme, and
Passchendaele. By 1918, it formed part of the 63rd (Royal Naval)
Division, a formation known for its toughness and reliability, often
deployed in sectors where the fighting was heaviest.
The Howe Battalion in March 1918
In early 1918, the Howe Battalion was positioned in the Arras
sector, holding trenches east of the city. This was a period of mounting
tension as the German Army prepared for its massive spring offensive—Operation
Michael—intended to break the Allied line before American forces arrived in
strength. Although the main German attack began on 21st March
1918, the days immediately before the offensive saw increasing artillery
fire, trench raids, and sniper activity.
On 19th March 1918, the Howe Battalion was
in the front line facing growing German pressure. Casualties on this date were
typically caused by artillery bombardments, trench mortar fire, or sudden local
attacks—common in the tense days leading up to the full offensive. Many men of
the Royal Naval Division, including Able Seaman Stanley Morse, were
killed in these preliminary actions.
War Service and Death
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| British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records |
Stanley served as an Able Seaman with the Howe Battalion, Royal Naval Division. According to the British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, he was killed in action on 19th March 1918 during operations on the Western Front, just two days before the German spring offensive erupted across the Arras sector.
Commemoration
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| Stanley Morse Arras Memorial, Pas‑de‑Calais, France credit - findagrave |
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