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Louis Morrice

Age: unknown

Sex: male

Date: 15 Aug 1914

Place: Bidston Wood, Bidston Hill

Louis Morrice was shot whilst looking for a spy.

A gunner said that the guard had been called out by a sentry on the Monday evening owing to the presence of a spy. The guard then entered the wood and when they reached the rail fencing along Eleanoer Road a shot rang out and Louis Morrice staggered and dropped, saying 'Oh, I am shot'.

The shot was said to have been fired from the front about 10 yards away. When it was fired someone from the road had shouted 'Take cover'.

The gunner said that it was very dark and that a man that had been behind him then fired in the direction where the shot had come from. The gunner said that he saw the flash of the weapon that had fired the bullet that was said to have struck Louis Morrice. He also said that no member's of their party had been in front of them.

A bombardier said that he was aroused with the guard and saw a man clamber over the wall and jump among the ferns. He said that he challenged the man and that when he got no response he ordered the gunner to fire over the wood. He said another challenge was made and they fired over the wood again. He said that then his party worked their way through the ferns and then they heard a man say 'Oh, I am shot' and then someone else say 'They have got him'. He said that then orders were given to cease firing.

A gunner that said that he was with the other party said that he had seen an object moving about the bushes and was certain that it was not one of the men of the garrison. He said that the word 'Halt' was called three times.

The sentry had been alerted when a Major said that he saw a man standing near the ammunition wagon on the Liverpool side of the gun park and said that he thought he had every reason to believe that persons near the camp at a late hour were up to no good.

The post-mortem stated that the bullet had passed through the lower part of his body, entering from the right side and coming out on the left. He said that the wound must have been caused by a nickel bullet, either a service bullet or one from a heavy automatic pistol.

An open verdict was returned.


*map pointers are rough estimates based on known location details as per Place field above.

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Chester Chronicle - Saturday 15 August 1914