Third Mate Ralph Morris

Son of John Henry Morris and Helena Frances Skates of Toronto, Ontario. Husband of Gladys Elaine Pendlebury of Wallasey, Cheshire, England. Father of one child. During the First World War, John Henry enlisted on 29 January 1917 with the 257th Railway Construction Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, service number 1102206. In England, his unit became the 7th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops. Promoted to corporal in France on 28 April 1918, he was gassed and brought back to England. On 3 January 1919, he returned to Canada, landing at St. John's, New Brunswick, where he was demobilized. He was awarded the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and, posthumously, a cross, number 2005, on 24 October 1951.

On 19 August 1941, the flagship Aguila II was en route to Lisbon, Portugal, with convoy OG-71. At 04:06 am, the U-201 launched four torpedoes and sank the SS Ciscar and the Aguila II in position 49°23'N/17°56'W. The commodore, 5 members of the naval staff, 5 gunners, 54 crew members and 88 passengers lost their lives. The captain, 5 crew members, one naval staff member and 2 passengers were rescued by HMS Wallflower (K44) and landed in Gibraltar. Five crew members and one passenger were rescued by the tug SS Empire Oak, but 5 of them died when this ship was torpedoed by U-564 on 22 August. Another sailor was rescued by HMS Campanuyla (K18). These survivors were taken to Gibraltar on 25 August. Among the victims of the Aguila II were 21 women from the WRNS.