AustLit

Herbert William Morris wrote his small collection of poems Dedicated to the ANZACS under the signature 'Private H. W. Morris, 12th Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force.' Most of the poems were written during the course of the Gallipoli campaign.

Australian War Memorial records indicate that Morris was born at Burton-on-Trent, in England, and that prior to World War I he had served an apprenticeship with Burton Publishing Co. He enlisted on 22 August, 1914, embarked on 20 October, 1914 (in Hobart) and returned to Australia on 23 October, 1918. Morris's address at the time of embarkation was Queenstown, Tasmania. His enlistment documents indicate he was a printer.

The 3rd Infantry Brigade was 'the covering force for the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915 and so was the first ashore at around 4:30 am ... The 12th [Battalion] served at ANZAC until the evacuation in December. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the 12th Battalion returned to Egypt and, in March 1916, sailed for France and the Western Front. From then until 1918 the battalion took part in bitter trench warfare.'

(Source: Australian War Memorial website, www.awm.gov.au)