Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

Naval Campaign is defined as to include all sea operations where attrition rates are in ones and twos and which do not fall within specific naval battles such as Jutland, Coronel, Falklands etc. This includes Merchant Navy losses.

Detail :

John came from a rich maritime history: See MORGAN MARINERS OF TROED Y RHIW.

"Their son John Phillip had a long and distinguished maritime career. He married Mary Hughes of Nevyn b.1864, and they had one daughter Mary Elizabeth a.k.a. May, who was born in 1897 at Criccieth. Captain John Phillip Morgan began his seafaring career as a 14 year old boy on the Aberystwyth schooner Excelsior. His ships from thereon in were based at Caernarfon. In 1876 he is listed as a cook on the George Casson and then as a seaman on the schooners Catherine Richards, John Evans, Sarah Evans, Ann Holland, David Sinclair, and the Sarah. In 1884 he was bosun on the Mabel and also on the Arabella. He became first mate and served again on the Mabel and then the schooner Florence in that capacity. John's next vessel was the Winifred where he served as a seaman. His next two vessels saw him as mate on the schooners Florence and Theda. The latter was a three masted schooner that made a record passage from Labrador to Gibraltar. He was then mate on the Canadian brigantine Vigilant and became her master in 1889. His next two vessels were the Patra and the David Sinclair.

In 1883 he returned to command the Aberystwyth schooner John Pierce and whilst on her he nearly came to grief. This vessel had a crew of four men and with John was his wife Mary. They were on a voyage from Poole Dorset, with 150 tons of clay that they were taking to Ellesmere port. By the time they reached Holyhead the weather began to deteriorate and they ended up being driven by a strong current onto Taylor's Bank with no means of removing themselves. Everyone put on their lifebelts and took to the rigging as the hull of the schooner was under water. Everyone expecting to be washed from their perilous position as no-one seemed to answer their distress rockets. Thankfully the steamer Rebecca with Captain Roberts in command approached and a boat was launched and they were luckily all rescued in the dangerous seas that were battering the remains of their vessel. They were all taken to the Sailors Home at Liverpool to recuperate. In 1893 John had to re-apply for his masters certificate as all documents had been lost when the John Pierce foundered.

His next vessels were the barquentines Ellin Lloyd, and Glenville, the barque Primera then the schooners Elizabeth Llewelyn, Isallt and the Atilla. His last command was the steamer Guildhall. Whilst this vessel was en route from Valencia to Cardiff she was torpedoed by the German submarine U62 forty nautical miles from the Bishops rock, Isles of Scilly, all the crew perished."

Probate MORGAN John Phillip of Bodloudeb Chwilog Carnarvonshire died 25 June 1917 at sea Probate London 16 August to Mary Morgan widow. Effect £717 10s.

Masonic :

Listed as a 50 year old Master Mariner in 1912, he was initiated into Avalon Lodge No. 776, St. John's, Newfoundland and resigned before the war on "11.12.13."

He then joined Madoc Lodge, Portmadoc 6th January, 1914. He is still listed as a Master Mariner from Chwilog. The contribution record shows "died 25th June/17."

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley