| Regimental number | 271 |
| Place of birth | Gisborne, New Zealand |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Carpenter |
| Address | 67 Ridge Street, North Sydney, New South Wales |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 21 |
| Height | 5' 6" |
| Weight | 140 lbs |
| Next of kin | Othello J Morell, Gisborne, New Zealand |
| Previous military service | Served in the New Zealand Territorial Force (resigned on leaving New Zealand). |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Sydney, New South Wales |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 1st Battalion, B Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/18/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board Transport A19 Afric on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 1st Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Date of death | |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 23 |
| Commemoration details | The Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 15), Gallipoli, Turkey The Lone Pine Memorial, situated in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac, is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli, and one of four memorials to men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Designed by Sir John Burnet, the principal architect of the Gallipoli cemeteries, it is a thick tapering pylon 14.3 metres high on a square base 12.98 metres wide. It is constructed from limestone mined at Ilgardere in Turkey. The Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. The names of New Zealanders commemorated are inscribed on stone panels mounted on the south and north sides of the pylon, while those of the Australians are listed on a long wall of panels in front of the pylon and to either side. Names are arranged by unit and rank. The Memorial stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive. Most cemeteries on Gallipoli contain relatively few marked graves, and the majority of Australians killed on Gallipoli are commemorated here. |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 30 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Othello Joseph and Jane MORELL, 270 Whitaker Street, Gisborne, New Zealand |
| Family/military connections | Brothers: 20192 Rifleman William Robert MORELL, NZ Rifle Brigade; 25/442 Lance Corporal Othello MORELL, NZEF; 9/1586 Lance Corporal Edward John MORELL, 7th Otago Mounted Rifles. |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Gallipoli Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 5 April 1915. Wounded in action, Gallipoli Peninsula, 25-29 April 1915; reported wounded and missing. Court of Enquiry, Tel el Kebir, 11 January 1916, concluded: ' ... except in a few instances no further information could be obtained other than that already given. The court considered it reasonable to suppose that those who were marked "MISSING" during the landing on the 25th April and the immediate operations following, have been KILLED IN ACTION and have recorded the opinion accordingly.' Further Court of Enquiry, held in the field, France, 5 June 1916, determined fate as killed in action, 25-29 April 1915. Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal Base Records wrote to father, 30 December 1916: 'With reference to the representations made on your behalf by the Minister of Defence, New Zealand, in September last, concerning the case of your son, No. 217 Private C. Morell, 1st Battalion, and which was accompanied by a cutting from the "Sydney Mail" [article 'Heroes of Gallipoli at Valetta Hospital Malta'], containing what purported to be a photograph of your son, I am now in receipt of a reply from Australian Imperial Force Headquarters, London, in which it is stated that, beyond the report of the Court of Inquiry assembled to determine his case, and which shows that he was killed in action during the period 25th and 29th April, 1915 at Gallipoli, no further information is available.' Father wrote to Minister of Defence, Sydney, 20 March 1928: 'The enclosed cutting from the Herald newspaper Auckland this day has called to my mind again my son Reg. No. 271 Charles Morell who served with the First Brigade and went to Egypt and from there to Galliperty (sic)and was reported for over 18 months as missing and then after a Court of Enquiry they found he was killed in action. But I could never get it out of my mind that he was NOT killed but that he got shell shock and lost his memory and I am not a superstitious man. But I have seen my son Charles in my sleep at night hundreds of times in such a state wandering about not knowing who or what he was. And to further convince my own dreams a SON-IN-LAW who lives some distance away had the same dreams often had seeing Charles (mind neither one of us knew about the other's dreams for 12 month and would not have told about them only if speaking about the son after the war. So dear Sir, would you be so kind has (sic) to make Enquire (sic) where this unknown ex-soldier was at during the war and if a photograph could be got of him. The wound of the loss of my son had almost healed ... but this Enclosed has opened it again and I should thank you very much if you could get any information for me. I am getting well on in year 75 and my early days were spent in the Imperial Service. I was Sgt in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers ... from 1870 to 1878 and through the Ashanti War 1873-4 under Sir Garnet Woolsey (sic). Thanking you for an answer.' |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, MORELL Charles |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
