Colonel D W Morell

Copies of ts. accounts (139pp) reflecting his service with the 10th Battalion Notts and Derbys Regiment (17th Division) on the Western Front 1915, and as an officer with the 17th Battalion Notts and Derbys (39th Division) in France 1916-17, including the Battle of the Somme September to November 1916. Also service with the 1st Battalion 15th Sikhs in Afghanistan 1919, Iraq and Kurdistan 1920-22 (unit retitled 2nd Battalion 11th Sikh Regiment 1922), peacetime service in India and in the North West Frontier campaign 1936-37. Together with recollections of his service with the 3rd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment (4th Indian Division) in Egypt 1939-40, and as Assistant Commandant of the Belgaum Officer Training School, India, 1941-45. Also a scrapbook (132pp) of various items relating to his service 1926-57, a ms. journal (125pp) of general war news December 1943 to August 1945, and six other miscellaneous items.

<p>See DCAR Form</p>

Unrestricted

Douglas Waldo Morell was born in Nottingham in 1892, and enlisted in the 10th Battalion Notts and Derbys Regiment (17th Division) in September 1914. Serving in France from July to November 1915, he was commissioned in the 17th Battalion Notts and Derbys (39th Division) and served with them in France from March 1916 to early in 1917 when as a Captain, he was invalided to the UK with trench fever. After a period of home service with the 3rd Battalion he was granted a regular Indian Army commission as a Lieutenant in the 1st Battalion 15th Sikhs in January 1918.

He served with the unit in Afghanistan 1919, and Kurdistan 1920-22 (retitled 2nd Battalion 11th Sikh Regiment 1922), in India and the North West Frontier 1936-37, becoming a Major in 1934. He transferred to the 3rd Battalion 1st Punjab Regt in 1937. On the outbreak of war he served with his unit in Egypt (4th Indian Division) until November 1940, when he was posted to the Belgaum Officer Training School, India. He became a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1942 and Assistant Commandant of the school until 1945, subsequently acting as a Services Resettlement Liaison Officer in Central India until his retirement in 1947. On returning to the UK he served with the Nottinghamshire Home Guard 1952-56, being granted the honourary rank of Colonel in 1957. He died in 1979.