John Michael Morrell - killed in Drumargh October 1972

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Hi all

I was hoping to find people who knew my dad (listed in title).

Would love to share your memories of him.

Cheers

Stewart

Sprry title should read 1972

[Sam Vimes Golden Greeter & Blackboard Monitor Find all posts View Profile Close Sam Vimes]

Stewart is looking for some background to his dad's service time...can anybody help
Sam V

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To save others looking in ROH

Colour Sergeant JOHN MICHAEL MORRELL

23916709, Prince of Wales' Own Regiment
Died of wounds, age 32, on 24 October 1972
Fatally wounded in a bomb attack while on patrol in Drumargh,
South Armagh on 15 October.

[Grimster Webmeister Find all posts View Profile Close Grimster]

I found some more that might jog some memories but I'm sure Stewart will have already seen:

Five injured as Staffords are lured into Armagh booby trap: In the year that the Bloody Sunday massacre shocked a nation by now used to seeing wars fought out on the television, another atrocity in the province on a Sunday struck particularly close to home. On October 15 five soldiers from the Staffordshire regiment were hurt, one very seriously, when they were lured into a booby-trapped house in Armagh.

A second booby trap, wired to a shotgun, was also found in the house.

The five men who were injured were the Staffords' first casualties since the regiment started its first stint in Ulster.

Most seriously hurt was Colour Sergeant John Morrell - married with three children - who had to be airlifted to hospital in Belfast by helicopter.

The colour sergeant was with a patrol which was alerted after a tip off to Armagh CID that a number of terrorist gunmen were holed up at two houses in the Drumarg Park area of the town.

Regimental Secretary Colonel Hugh Cook said: "The tip off was obviously a trick to lure our men into the terrorists trap."

And referring to the second shotgun booby trap he said: "This is the sort of thing the Germans used to do in the last war.

"Fortunately our men spotted it before it was too late and disposed of it."

Was he Staffordshire or Prince of Wales Own? We should ask Mick about that, possible change required..

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I have just come across mention of this incident in Kens book Bullets, Bombs And Cups of Tea, page 370.
It mentions that Staff Sergeant John Morrell was with the South Staffs.

[Jock2413 Association Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jock2413]

He was with the 1st Btn Staffordshire Regiment. The Prince of Wales Own link dates back to before the introduction of the County Regiment system. They were originally part of the Prince of Wales Own division. Its a bit of a coincidence that only a couple of weeks ago, Mick and I were looking at the entry in the ROH about Staff Sergeant Morrell. There may have been a bit of confusion between the Staffs (P.O.W.O) and the P.O.W.R. who were both in the province at the same time in 1972. Mick may have not got round to changing the entry due to work load.

Stewart, on a personal note, I would like to say how happy I am that a son of one of our fallen has decided to join us. There are others like you here.

We Will Remember Them

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Gents

What a fantastic welcome, feeling honoured that you have taken me in. I also have shared some memories with a comrade of my dads - Gerry Murtagh, who sadly passed a few years ago. Anyone who remembers my dad would probably remember him.

Stewart

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Welcome Stewart, glad to see you are settling in and getting to know people.