Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Frank Saunderson Morrison F.R.C.S. and J.P., born 1860 in Portadowm, County Armagh, Ireland, and who was the son of Robert Charles Saunderson Morrison of Dinsdale, Yorkshire, and his wife Frances Matilda Morrison (nee Bullock, married on the 7th March 1889 in St. Mary’s Church, Harrogate, Yorkshire), born 1871 in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, and who was the daughter of John Bullock of Harrogate, Yorkshire. In April 1911 Frederick was absent from the family home at The Cottage, Hallaton, Leicestershire, residing there was his father, a medical practitioner, his mother and siblings, Myrtle I. M., born 1895, Muriel F. C., born 1899 and Eric F. S., born 1903, all his siblings were born in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. Frederick was educated at the Dundalk Educational Institution, St. John’s College, near Preston, Lancashire, and Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland of which he became and graduate and honour man. He then qualified as an engineer and went to Rhodesia, where he volunteered his services for the suppression of the rising in Natal, 1906-1907 for which he received the King’s Medal. On the outbreak of the European War in August 1914, he, with three old University comrades returned to England and joined the Rifle Brigade in September and served with the Expeditionary Force in France, he was killed in action during the engagement at Ploegsteert on the 7th February 1915. He was a good athlete and footballer, playing for his school and college, a hard rider to hounds, well known to the Louth Pack and Harriers. Frederick was unmarried.
The War Diary records: 2 -24 Feb-15 – Still in the wood and still working at the breastworks repairs to which are constantly needed. The same routine as regards positions of Companies is followed as was started last month. The great difficulty is to keep the front of the wood well screened, it tends to get thinner daily owing to the dead wood falling away and to enemy shells knocking it about a bit more. The enemy have also been shelling the village of PLOEGSTEERT more lately. Most days some shells drop there. The sniping and shelling of the wood with small shells is considerably on the increase. They usually open fire with one or more machine guns every evening, but our casualties are not great in number. The weather has been wet and cold with some remarkably fine, bright and warm days.
On Saturday March 6th 1915 The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury published the following article under the heading. “THE WAR.” – Mr. Frederick Charles Morrison, who we regret to have to report, was killed in action on February 7 at Ploegsteert, was the son of Mr F. Sanderson Morrison, F.R.C.S., J.P., of Hallaton, Leicestershire. Born in Dublin, he was educated at Dundalk Educational Institution, St. John’s College, Preston and Trinity College, Dublin, of which he became a graduate and honour man. He went to Rhodesia as an engineer, and during his residence there of eight years he volunteered his service for the suppression of the rising in Natal in 1906-7, for which he received the King’s medal. On the outbreak of the present war he, with three other university comrades returned home and joined the Rifle Brigade. Dr. and Mrs. Morrison have received a letter of condolence from their Majesties through Lord Kitchener.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Frederick Charles Morrison probably only spent a few brief interludes in Hallaton but his father lived here for many years and played a very prominent part in village life, being one of the village doctors from about 1906 until 1934. Educated as an engineer at Trinity College, Dublin he decided that there were greater opportunities in Rhodesia. During his time there, the Zulu Rebellion broke out in February 1906 and the imperial government being loathe to supply troops, there was a call for local volunteers. There was an “ex-pats” organisation called the Lancaster and York Association, nicknamed “The Rosebuds” of Johannesburg and it raised a troop and being a good horseman, Frederick joined. They had an exciting time – skirmishes, ambushes and eventually the Zulus were defeated at Mome Gorge. For his part he was awarded the Natal Native Rebellion Medal with 1906 clasp. With war clouds on the horizon, Frederick returned to England along with three old University friends and it must be presumed took the opportunity to visit his family in Hallaton before enlisting in September 1914 in the Rifle Brigade with service number S/4972. Here was the ideal recruit - keen, tough, mature and experienced in warfare albeit of a very different kind and with a campaign medal to prove it. He did not require a huge amount of training and on 23rd November 1914 he was posted to the 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade who were now in Ploegsteert Wood, battle hardened having had much tough fighting and suffered casualties. He was involved in very heavy fighting and also in the remarkable Christmas Truce, when German and British soldiers, contrary to orders met in No Man’s Land and exchanged gifts of cigarettes and souvenirs. The first days of January 1915 were quiet with the weather wet and cold with snipers active. Frederick was hit and died of wounds on 7th February. He is buried in the now peaceful, small Rifle House Cemetery in the middle of beautiful woodland. A memorial service was held in St Michael and All Angels, Hallaton on Wednesday 24th February when the deceased’s favourite hymns were sung and the Dead March in Saul “…was feelingly rendered by Mr Denley, who presided at the organ.” His name is on our War Memorial and he is also remembered in the wonderful book of Ireland’s Memorial Records 1914 – 1918.

Information kindly provided by Dennis Kenyon.