I am Austin’s great neice Jacqueline, he was my grandmother Ada’s favorite brother and witness at her own wedding. Austin Clement Morley was born in Islington London on 18 November 1880. The forth child of a family of ten born to Thomas Philip and Sarah Jane (James) Morley. He married Catherine Amelia Chinn on 3rd August 1907, they had two children, Clarence Austin born 1909 and Dorothy Gertrude Ellen born 1911. A Decorator by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in June 1900 and was advanced to Stoker in October the same year. He served on the 2nd class cruiser Terpsichore, February 1901-April 1904, and was present during both her periods of service in the Boer War. A total of 136 medals without clasp were awarded to men of the ship. Morley was promoted to Stoker 1st Class in July 1906 when based at Sapphire II and was discharged to shore by purchase on 14 August 1908 and joined the Royal Fleet Reserve. He was recalled for war service in August 1914 and served with the Hood Battalion, 17 September-16 October 1914. He was killed in action when the armed merchant cruiser Tithonus was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UB.72. The ship, formerly the Finland Steamship Company’s Passenger Ship Titania, was an escort for a convoy to Norway; she was sunk about 50 miles east of Aberdeen. Four men lost their lives - one of whom was Stoker Morley. His name is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial..

Jacqueline Byrne